


Albus Potter and the Cursed Legacy

by vias_words



Series: Albus Potter and the Cursed Legacy [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Angst, Anxiety, Best Friends, Bullying, Coming Out, Coming of Age, Crushes, Falling In Love, Family, Friends to Lovers, Harry Potter Next Generation, Hogwarts, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Love, M/M, Mystery, Next Generation, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Rewrite of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Slow Burn, Slytherin Albus Severus Potter, Slytherin Scorpius Malfoy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 17:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 63,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17207399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vias_words/pseuds/vias_words
Summary: As the disappointing Slytherin son of Harry Potter, Albus Potter is determined to change his reputation. But by doing so, he gets himself tied up in something much bigger. Now he and his best friend, Scorpius Malfoy, are in more trouble than they realise.The world is about to learn that there are more sides to every story.---A Harry Potter and the Cursed Child rewriteFeaturing a totally new plot, no children of Voldemort, a lot more angst, the Rose we all deserved, and, of course, no queerbaiting!





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This the new and improved version of my original Albus Potter and the Cursed Legacy, so I hope you enjoy!
> 
> If you are a returning reader, this chapter is mostly the same as the original with some minor tweaks. Feel free to read and refresh your memory or wait until the next chapter which will be different than the original and really kick off the new book!

Steam clouded the air. Footsteps rang out as feet hit hard stone. Shouts rose above the clatter. Chatter muddled together into a roar of noise. People took up every inch of space, pushing through the crowd. 

The commotion of the train platform overwhelmed Albus, his senses on high alert as the world seemed to rush around him. He felt like a fish trying to swim upstream--no, not upstream, up a rapid river--the water trying to overtake him. His own beating heart only added to the noise that filled his ears.

Albus tried to keep up with his family, navigating through the hoards of people the rushed around, pushing trollies piled high with trunks, broomsticks, cauldrons, and owl cages. He pushed his own trolley in front of him, swerving through small gaps and trying his best not to run over anyone. Returning students raced down the platform to greet their friends with cries of excitement and enveloping hugs. Parents looked over their children with teary eyes, instructing them to be good and promising to write.

Albus' heart slammed against his chest as he gripped onto the handle of his trolley for support. He chewed at the inside of his cheek, his stomach churning, despite the little breakfast he'd eaten that morning. He could barely hear his family, who conversed with a certain cheer and exhilaration that could only be brought by the excited thoughts of the year to come. James ran ahead to meet up with his friends, leaving their mother to push his trolley. Lily clung to her father's arm, looking at the train with starry eyes, eagerly awaiting the day she would be able to board along with her older brothers.

Albus only caught pieces of his father's expressive tales from his years at Hogwarts.

"--Met your aunt Hermione and uncle Ron on this very train my first year--"

"--Had some brilliant times in the common room--"

"--Coming back to Hogwarts was always--"

"--Made the quidditch team the very first year. Ended up choking on the snitch!"

Albus had heard all of it before. Whether it was in books, The Daily Prophet, or his family's stories, he was always hearing about his father's school years and amazing feats. He wondered what his first year would bring. What friends would he make? What classes would he be good at? What adventures awaited him? He'd waited for this day since he was a little kid listening to his dad reminisce about the cosy Gryffindor common room. Albus could imagine sitting by the warm, crackling fire, curled up in a red, plush sofa, surrounded by bright red and gold tapestries, joking around with a group of friends.

When his older brother, James, started at Hogwarts just a year previous, he was overcome with jealousy, so much so that his parent's had to buy him a book filled with moving pictures of the castle and its magical origins.

But now that the long-awaited day had finally arrived, everything seemed so much more daunting.

The whole journey to King's Cross was filling with his brother's pestering.

"If you're late to class, they hang you in the rafters by your cloak!"

"James," Ginny said with a warning tone before taking her youngest son's hand and giving it a squeeze, "Don't listen to your brother, Al. He's just trying to scare you. Hogwarts is a wonderful place."

Albus pulled his hand away, not convinced.

James didn't listen to his mother, leaning over to whisper in Albus' ear, "Watch out for the Slytherins! They'll jinx you in the halls if you even look at them the wrong way. They sense fear." He snickered at Albus' sudden intake of breath.

_Slytherin._

He'd heard the cautionary tales and rumours. _The Dark Lord's house_. An aura of darkness and fear surrounded it. But James insisted on teasing Albus about it, claiming that he could be sorted into Slytherin. Albus tried not to think about the possibility. A Potter in Slytherin? That couldn't be possible.

Could it?

Albus' daze was broken as he stopped abruptly, nearly crashing his trolley into his family, who had come to a halt. It took only a second to realise why they had stopped.

"Hi, Al!" A chipper voice greeted him.

He turned to see his curly haired cousin, Rose, who practically glowed in exhilaration--the opposite of how Albus felt. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped together, and a smile overtaking her face. 

"Aren't you thrilled? I can't believe it's finally here! I've reread _Hogwarts: A History_ at least twelve times this week, just to prepare." Rose rambled, not sensing that Albus didn't mirror her excitement.

Albus looked passed his cousin to see his aunt and uncle, who greeted him and his parents.

"Are you ready, Al? Big year ahead of you!" His uncle Ron grinned.

Albus managed to muster a smile, "Yeah." He swallowed the lump in his throat as he tried to hold back the quiver in his lips, as not to show his family how he truly felt. Ron seemed satisfied by that answer and turned back to talk to Harry. Hugo broke away from his mum's side to chat excitedly with Lily about their future Hogwarts houses.

"I'm positive we will be in Gryffindor, of course," Hugo boasted with confidence. He placed his hands on his hips and jutted his chin in the air--the stance of a true Gryffindor.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you," Ron said to the young ones, "but no pressure."

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed, giving him a light slap to the arm.

Rose and Albus exchanged an uneasy glance.

"He doesn't mean it," Hermione reassured them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders.

Rose brushed it off, used to her dad's sense of humour, "Doesn't matter. I know we will be in Gryffindor. Right, Al?" She elbowed him in the ribs a little harder than she meant to.

"Mhmm," He nodded but his thoughts drifting back to what James' had said.

The train whistle broke through the family's conversation.

His father glanced down at his watch, "It's nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."

Rose skipped away to say goodbye to her parents. Hugo jumped into her arms before she could even get to her mum and dad, engulfing her in a hug. 

James rushed back over give his farewell. He gave everyone a hug goodbye but stopped in front of Albus.

"See you later, Al. Watch out for the thestrals." He said with an impish grin, giving his little brother a small kick to the shin.

Albus' heart dropped into his stomach, "I thought they were invisible? You said they were invisible!" 

James laughed before dashing off to join his friends, who waved him onto the carriage.

Harry turned to Albus, giving him a soft clap on the shoulder and a gentle smile, "Thestrals are nothing to worry about," he told Albus. "They're gentle things, there's nothing scary about them. Anyway, you won't be going up to school in the carriages, you'll be going in the boats."

Albus swallowed the lump in his throat with a small nod.

His mother came over to pull him into a tight embrace and gave him a peck on the cheek, "We're gonna miss you, Al. But you're going to have a great year. I love you. Be good, and watch over your brother. Make sure he doesn't cause too much trouble." She chuckled, knowing that wouldn't be an easy task. "We will see you at Christmas. Don't hesitate to send an owl if you need anything." She let him go, allowing her husband to wish him off.

"I'm sure he'll be much too preoccupied at school to send an owl," Harry chuckled to his wife before turning to his middle child, "Have a great first year, Al. It will certainly be one to remember. Don't forget Hagrid's invited you to tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone till you've learned how. And don't let James wind you up."

Albus took a step back, his fears still clouding his head.

"What if I'm in Slytherin?" He muttered for only his father to hear.

His father took a deep, pondering breath then kneeled down before his son, looking him right in the eyes.

"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say--" Albus started.

"--then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it?" His dad cut him off. "It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?" Albus lifted his head slightly.

"It did for me," Harry assured him.

The train whistle blew again, calling for the final students lingering on the platform to board. Harry stood, pulling his youngest son into one last hug before giving him a gentle push towards the train, where Rose waited for him. Albus glanced back at his family one last time, before joining her.

Large clouds of steam began to gather as the train prepared to leave. Albus bit at his lip as he watched his family wave them off. Rose waved back enthusiastically, but Albus turned away, not wanting them to notice the tears gathering in his eyes.

The train jolted. The metal wheels screeched as they started to turn, moving the train slow at first, then picking up speed.

Rose stood at the door, waving and yelling goodbyes until the platform was out of view. Then she turned to Albus, her hands on her hips and a bright smiled painted across her face.

"Well Al, this is it!" She stated, full of pride. "Now, let's find a place to sit."

\---

The journey felt endless as he watched the countryside fly past the window. Albus was glad that they had found a compartment to themselves at the back of the train, where he could spread out and not have to worry about sitting with strangers for the next five hours.

Rose had occupied the first hour by chatting her cousin's ear off about Hogwarts and all her expectations of the school.

"Do you think we will get to go in the Forbidden Forest at all? Like I know it's _forbidden_ , but mum and dad have been there loads of times and it sounds _incredible!_ "

After a series of one-word answers, Rose gave up on trying to hold a conversation, delving into her collection of books that she brought.

As the train slowed to a halt, reaching its destination, time seemed to speed up. His legs seemed to move by themselves and Albus soon found himself on another train platform, crowded with students. Soon he was loaded into a boat with Rose behind him, marvelling at the stunning display of the castle before them.

The windows shone against the night sky like flickering stars that climbed the impressive towers that stood proudly on the rocky hill above the lake. For once Rose was speechless, marvelling up at the magnificent castle.

An explosion of warmth spread across Abus' chest and he suddenly felt at ease as they drifted on the smooth, silent water. Maybe going to Hogwarts wouldn't be as scary as he thought.

But all too soon, the view sank behind the stone ceiling of a vine-covered cave.

Albus was lifted from the boat and pushed into the centre of the crowd of jittery first years. They were ushered through the large wooden doors and guided down the magnificent Entrance Hall. Candlelight flickered against the stone wall, casting the hall in a warm orange glow. A professor gave a speech about the sorting ceremony--something that had already been explained to him by both his parents and older brother--then led them to The Great Hall.

Albus had seen plenty of pictures of The Great Hall, but he didn't realise how _great_ it would actually be.

Hundreds of students watched as the first years paraded into the Great Hall, each seated at their assigned table, each neatly set with golden goblets and cutlery. Normally this amount of attention would have made Albus anxious, but he was too distracted by the bewitched ceiling to notice. He found his eyes tracing the constellations that mirrored the sky outside as if Great Hall reached all the way up to the heavens.

"Can you believe it? It's amazing. Even better than I imagined!" Rose whispered to him in awe, gazing around with a twinkle in her eyes that matched the sky above. She gripped onto his wrist with excitement, and for the first time all day, he gave her a genuine smile. He started to let his guard down, caving into the comforting atmosphere of the castle.

' _Maybe this won't be so bad after all,_ ' he thought. 

He looked over at the Gryffindor table, scanning over the students until he caught the eye of his brother. James waved, turning to his friends and pointing his little brother out to them. They, too, waved and gave him friendly smiles. Albus waved back, keeping a mental note of where they were sitting so he could join them after the sorting. He hoped James wouldn't mind his little brother tagging along.

' _Just until I make friends of my own,_ ' Albus assured himself.

The sound of someone's throat being cleared caused the noise to dim to silence. Albus turned to see Neville-- _Professor Longbottom_ \--standing at the front of the hall, a scroll in hand. As expected, a raggedy old hat rested on a stool beside him. The crowd waited in expectation as the hat began to stir. The tear in the fabric began to move and its song began.

_"I am the greatest hat you shall see,_  
For I am the Sorting Hat,  
No greater hat there be." 

Albus heard a soft gasp from behind him, presumably from a muggle-born. But even with all the magic he had seen in his life, Albus, too, found the singing hat rather surprising and amusing. The rest of the Hogwarts students watched in silence as the raggedy hat continued.

_"Although my looks are not divine,_  
As you can see I am patched and torn,  
It would be hard to get a hat this fine,  
For I am the Sorting Hat. 

_Place me upon your head,_  
And I will look deep inside,  
And your house is what will be said." 

Albus' stomach began to tumble around inside of him, like a single marble in an empty jar. He wasn't sure how he felt about a magic hat looking through his mind. He glanced around at the other first years. They all looked equally unsettled at the thought, which reassured him.

_"Maybe Gryffindor,  
The brave and the daring,"_

Rose elbowed Albus softly, shooting him a wink. He glanced back at the Gryffindor table, who sat proud under their banner of red and gold. Their parent's house held a special place in their hearts--and in the history books. All the Weasleys and Potters before them had been sorted into Gryffindor. James gave him a thumbs up from across the hall, which made Albus smile before he turned back to face the front.

_"Hufflepuff where you'll find_  
The kindest and the caring.  
Maybe Ravenclaw,  
The creative and the smart,  
Or Slytherin,  
If you've got a cunning heart. 

_Where you will be,_  
Well, no one quite knows,  
No one else but me. 

_So try me on,_  
For I am the best,  
Still, no greater hat than I,  
For I'm the Sorting Hat!" 

There was a brief moment of silence when the hat finished its song before the students erupted into applause.

Neville stepped forward again to address the crowd, unrolling the long parchment scroll in his hands, "Settled down everyone and the Sorting Ceremony will begin." A few cheers lingered before all attention was refocused on the ratty old hat. "When I call your name, please come forward to be sorted'" Neville instructed before looking down at the scroll to read the first name, "Andrews, George."

A short and stout boy at the front of the crowd walked up to the stool tentatively and the hat was gently placed on his head. With just a moment's though, the hat shouted out its decision.

"RAVENCLAW!"

George jumped up and ran to take his seats with his new peers, that congratulated him as he passed by.

Albus began to wonder what it would be like when it was his turn to be sorted. The Potter name carried weight with it, and would surely attract attention. He remembered James telling him about how excited the Gryffindor table got when he was sorted.

"Of course, no one was surprised," He had said, "Where else would the son of Harry Potter be sorted?"

"Granger-Weasley, Rose," Neville called, bringing Albus' thoughts back to the present.

His cousin stepped confidently up to the front, addressing the crowd with a confident grin as the hat was placed on her head and immediately made its choice.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Rose skipped cheerfully over to her assigned table. James slid over to make room for her next to him. She left a spot next to her open, shooting Albus a thumbs up.

Albus barely paid attention as more names were called and the group of first years widdled down around him. Instead, he examined each of the long wooden tables that stretched out along the Great Hall.

At first glance, they each looked the same. But it was the significance of the house that differentiated them. Above each table, a banner flew, boasting the house colours. Everyone had their own house, their own family. Houses were meant to be a symbol of pride, where they would not only live but work, play, and make memories. It was where the legendary trio became friends, and where they spent their days when they weren't galavanting off on their adventures. Albus hoped he could make a group of friends that strong, just like his father had.

"O' Hare, Leanne," The list was starting to narrow down now.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Pachelli, Antonio!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Potter, Albus!"

Albus' heart started to thunder against his chest. He stepped forward, feeling like a spotlight had suddenly fallen on him, every eye burning into him.

"That's Harry Potter's son!" He heard someone whisper in awe.

"I can't believe he is in _our_ year!"

Albus tried to block out the all the looks and whispers he got as he made his way up to the stool in the front of the hall. Ahead of him, he saw Hagrid, who towered over the rest of the teachers at the head table. Noticing the little boy's nerves, Hagrid gave him a wide smile. Neville also snuck him a subtle nod of encouragement that only he could see.

Taking a deep breath, Albus planted himself down on the wobbly old stool. He felt the hat brush over his hair as it was gently placed upon his head. Albus held his breath, staring down at his shoes to avoid looking out at the crowd of faces that all pointed towards him.

A small, gruff voice in his ear made him jump, _'Well, well, well, another Potter,'_ The Sorting Hat spoke to him. _'Hmm, not like your brother, no... No, you've got a mind just like your father's, you do.'_

Albus was taken aback, _'I do?'_ He thought. All his life he had been told how much he looked like his father, inheriting the same black hair and green eyes, but never in any other respects.

 _'Yes...'_ The hat drawled with an eerie sense of confidence, _'I know a great place for you,'_ the Sorting Hat continued, _'you'll fit in well with them. You'll make strong friendships. If you're willing, you can really thrive. It would be the perfect fit.'_

The offer tempted Albus. He looked up at the Gryffindor table, where Rose and James watched him in anticipation.

Albus made up his mind, _'Yes,'_ he told the hat, _'That's where I want to be.'_

 _'Good...'_ The hat spoke to Albus one more time before it shouted out to the waiting hall of students.

"SLYTHERIN!"

There was a moment's silence as the name echoed through the hall. Shock fell over the students and even the teachers. No one moved or clapped.

Harry Potter's son a _Slytherin?_ It was all wrong.

Albus' heart dropped into his stomach. The Great Hall began to sway before him as if he was still on the boat crossing the lake.

 _'No!'_ He thought, frantically, _'That can't be right!'_

The Sorting Hat was silent. Its decision was final.

As the hat was slowly lifted from his head, the initial shock wore off of the students and the whispers began.

Slowly, as if he had treacle on the soles of his shoes, Albus stepped down and trudged over to his respective table. The green and silver banner flew overhead, the serpent's beady eyes staring down the newcomer, unwelcoming and unapologetic.

"Is that really Harry Potter's son?" He heard someone whisper.

"Slytherin? Bloody hell!"

No one welcomed him as he took a place on the bench. Their stares burned holes in his skin and their whispering tones slashed through his skin like claws.

He stared down at the plate in front of him, wishing he could just melt away into nothingness, like the candles that decorated the hall. He couldn't bear to turn and see Rose and James' reactions. He knew he had let his family down. A Potter in Slytherin? He was a disgrace. A disappointment. What would his parents think?

 _Oh Merlin, his parents._ How would he tell them? The question lingered in his head throughout the rest of the evening.

He hardly touched the feast; the thought of food disgusted him. He didn't pay attention to Headmistress McGonagall's speech, or even the Hogwarts song, which used to make him laugh whenever his parents sang it to him as a child.

The castle didn't seem so comfortable anymore.

As the Great Hall emptied out after the banquet, Albus followed the rest of the Slytherins to the common room, staying at the back of the group with his head hung.

"Albus!" He heard someone call. He glanced over his shoulder to see a concerned Rose, jogging to catch up with him

Albus turned his head, "Just, leave me alone." He picked up his pace, keeping up with the rest of his house, leaving Rose looking dejected.

The castle air felt colder and damper as the descended into the dungeons, the candles casting flickering shadows against the cold stone.

Albus didn't even bother to look around the common room like the rest of the first years. Instead, he went straight to the dormitory, where his trunk and belongings were already waiting by a four-poster bed. 

He sat on the bed curled up, resting his chin on his knees. He tried to digest the day, but he couldn't come to accept his fate.

Slytherin.

_Slytherin._

Albus Severus Potter was a Slytherin.

His father's words lingered in his head, but they brought him little comfort. He was just trying to console him at the station, he didn't truly mean it. How could he? How could Harry Potter accept his son in the house of the Dark Lord? Thoughts and questions swarmed his mind. How would his parents react? And his aunt and uncle? His grandparents? They would be so disappointed. A whole Gryffindor legacy ruined by him. Why him? What did he do to deserve this? What did he--

"Jelly slug?"

Albus' train of thought was interrupted by a hand holding out a green gummy in front of him. He peered up to see a boy standing over him, clutching a bag of sweets in his arms. He smiled softly, encouraging him to take the slug.

Albus hesitated at first, but the rumble of his empty stomach got the better of him--plus jelly slugs were one of his favourite sweets and he couldn't resist. He accepted the sweet, chewing on it halfheartedly.

"Thanks," He muttered to the boy, who looked happy that Albus had accepted his offer.

"I've got loads more. My parents gave me a whole case full of sweets. They said it would help me make friends." The boy smiled, teeth as just barely whiter than his pale skin. His hair also a similar colour: pale blond.

He offered Albus another slug, which he took without complaint, "My mum was worried about me leaving for Hogwarts. She worried that I would get homesick, but really, I think she'll miss me more. I'm an only child. She isn't used to not having me around to care for," The boy told him, "What about you? Do you miss your parents yet?" He asked, knowing fully that something was bringing Albus down.

Albus shook his head, "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm really not in the mood for talking right now." He told him truthfully, expecting the boy to be insulted or upset.

But the boy just shrugged, "Okay. Well, when you're in the mood to talk, I will be here. I'm Scorpius, by the way." He told him, giving him another jelly slug.

Albus took the sweet, letting a grateful smile slip, "Albus. My name's Albus."


	2. Time after Time

Albus decided to keep his head down low for his first term at Hogwarts. Perhaps he could make it through the year if he didn't attract any attention to himself. He could just hide in the shadows and his classmates might forget he was even there.

But that was impossible. He was a Potter. There was no avoiding the limelight. Maybe it would work for an ordinary student, but not for Albus. 

Albus was extraordinary--but not in the way his father was. He was constantly reminded of all of his father's amazing feats: becoming seeker in his first year, using the invisibility cloak to sneak around after dark, and, of course, defeating Voldemort for the second time and saving the Philosopher's stone from the hands of evil. While his father was an extraordinary boy wizard, Albus was an extraordinary failure.

It didn't help that all eyes were always on him. 

"In my father's first year, he and Harry Potter used this spell to defeat a troll!" Rose's voice rang out in the classroom during one of their first charms lessons. Professor Flitwick had just finished demonstrating wingardium leviosa and the students were eager to attempt it themselves. But all were distracted from their feathers for a moment as they tuned in to Rose's subtle boast. She made eye contact with Albus from across the room, giving him a small smile as if the attention would benefit him in some way. 

"Is that true?" A boy behind Albus leaned forward to ask him with astonishment. The Slytherins sitting nearby all turned to him with wide eyes. 

"Yes..." Albus muttered, wishing that he had the ability to apparate out of the room. Even if he could, he would probably mess that up, splinching off his arm or leg in the process.

"Alright students, give it a try," Professor Flitwick told them, "Remember, swish and flick!" 

Everyone grabbed their wands pointing them at the feathers in front of them. The room filled with a chorus of " _Wingardium leviosa!"_

"Yes!" Someone exclaimed from across the room. Albus looked up to see Rose, beaming with pride as her feather immediately lifted from the desk. The gaggle of Gryffindors sitting around her all leaned in to watch, emitting "ooo's" and "ahh's". 

Albus suddenly felt the attention of his housemates on him as watched him in expectation. 

Taking a deep breath and trying to ignore the burning gazes of his peers, Albus lifted his wand and pointed it at the feather, "Erm... Wingardium leviosa!" He waved his wand as the professor had demonstrated. But the feather didn't budge. 

In an attempt to recollect his dignity as those around him continued to watch hopefully, Albus tried again with more gusto in his voice, " _Wingardium leviosa!_ " His wand emitted a single dull spark but the feather remained untouched. 

The students started to turn away in disappointment, a few letting out some giggles. They began to focus on their own feathers, many of them able to lift them as if they had mastered the spell years ago. Albus bit his lip as his face reddened. 

" _Wingardium leviosa!_ " He tried once more but nothing happened. 

"Not much like his father at all..." He heard someone mutter from a few rows back. 

Albus' grip tightened on his wand, feeling the strange urge to snap it in half. But he knew it couldn't be the wands fault: it was his. 

"Well, it could have been worse, I suppose. It could have just blown up in your face!" A voice spoke to Albus. 

Albus turned his head to look at the boy next to him. It was the same boy he had met just two days prior in the dormitory. 

Scorpius made an exploding motion with his hands, his fingers spreading apart as if something had combusted beneath them, "Buwushhh!" He made an explosion noise before giving Albus a rather awkward smile. Albus loosened the grip on his wand, the corner of his mouth just barely twitching up. 

His other lessons didn't go much better. He somehow managed to kill a plant in herbology. His astronomy papers always came back with low marks. He couldn't even manage to succeed in flying class. His broom never responded when he ordered it to rise up and once he did manage to get a chance at flying, the broom shot out from under him, leaving Albus flat on his back in the dirt. 

"He really is the Slytherin sqib," Matthias, a fellow Slytherin in his year, snickered with his friends. 

Scorpius extended Albus a hand to help him up, "I was never much into Quidditch. Always thought the sport to be a bit boring," He offered in an attempt to cheer Albus up. 

As dreadful as his first term at Hogwarts was, Albus wasn't much looking forward to returning home for Christmas either. Showing his face after three months to his family, dressed in his assigned green and silver detailed robes. He still hadn't told his parents and he wondered if they knew. He'd ignored all their letters, which his mum and dad sent frequently during his first few weeks.

" _W-what are you doing?_ " Scorpius gasped from his seat in an armchair in the common room one day. 

Albus had gathered the letters his mum and dad had sent, each enveloped still sealed and untouched. Albus crumpled them all into a ball and tossed them into the fire, which quickly ate up the paper. The letters soon turned to ash without Albus even knowing what they contained. 

"I don't want them," Albus huffed, still staring into the blazing fire. The heat from the flames hit his already flushed face and cast him in a soft orange and yellow light. 

"But," Scorpius stood in protest, half-stunned and half-impressed by Albus' boldness, "Don't you want to hear what your parents have to say?" 

Albus finally turned away from the fire, shoving his hands in his pockets as he paced back and forth across the green and silver woven carpet, "I don't need to. I don't want to read about how disappointed they are in me."

Scorpius frowned, "Why would they be disappointed in you?"

"Because of this!" Albus pointed to the Slytherin crest on his robes, the snake serving as a constant reminder of who-- _what_ \--he was. "The Great Harry Potter's son, a filthy Slytherin!"

Albus immediately regretted his words as Scorpius bowed his head and rubbed his arm as if Albus' outburst had physically hurt him.

Albus sighed and stopped pacing to look at the boy who was the closest thing he had to a friend at Hogwarts, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just mean...its just my family." He wrinkled his nose.

Scorpius let out a weak chuckle, "I understand how that can feel. My family... well..." 

"How do they feel about you being in Slytherin?" Albus questioned.

"Oh, they couldn't have been more proud!" Scorpius must have seen Albus' perplexed look, so he continued, "My name is _Scorpius_. My dad and grandparents were Deatheaters. I'm from a whole line of pureblood wizards. I was sorted into Slytherin practically at birth..."

Albus blinked in shock, taking a step back, "Deatheaters?!"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Scorpius frowned, "You really don't know, do you?"

Albus shook his head and Scorpius seemed to brace himself, plucking up the courage to admit something that could ruin their friendship altogether. 

"I'm a Malfoy. Surely, your father must have mentioned us before? Your father and my father... well they didn't get on well. In fact, they were more like sworn enemies." Scorpius told him slowly, his voice trembling more than usual. 

"Really? As in that Malfoy that my father always mentioned? Merlin's beard..." Albus had never made the connection.

"I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore," Scorpius squeaked out. "But just know!" his inflexion rose as he lifted his head to look at Albus, "We aren't like that anymore! Deatheaters, I mean. That was a long time ago."

"I know."

Scorpius quirked his head, "You do?"

Albus nodded, "You're too nice to be a Deatheater." A smile spread across Scorpius' face. Albus continued, "I don't care about who your family is if you don't care about mine. Friends?" He extended his hand.

Scorpius took it and they shook hands, "Friends." 

\---

"Promise you'll write?" Scorpius asked Albus as the train screeched to a halt at Platform 9 3/4 that December after their first term. "To tell me how it goes?"

Albus bit his cheek as he stared out the compartment window at the families who eagerly awaited their children's return for the holiday break. The students quickly emptied their compartments, wanted to jump off the train as soon as it came to a stop and the doors opened. Everyone but Albus seemed excited to go home and see their families. 

"I will," He affirmed. His heart thundered in his chest as he scanned the platform and spotted his family waiting. His mum held his little sister's hand as Harry chatted to one of the other parents on the platform. Students began to flood the platform as the unboarded the train. Albus was able to see James run across the platform to meet his family before Albus' view was blocked by the crowd. 

"I suppose we should go now," Scorpius said, sliding open the compartment door. Albus followed behind his friend through the narrow passage to the door. They stepped off the train, lugging their trunks behind them. 

They stopped on the platform and turned to each other to say their goodbyes.

"See you in the new year," Albus said softly, wishing he could just stay with his friend instead of returning home.

"See you too. Good luck," Scorpius said with a nod of encouragement as Albus' parents came into view behind him. 

"Al!" The unmistakable voice of Harry Potter called, "Al, over here!" 

"I better find my parents," Scorpius said before they parted ways and he disappeared into the crowd. 

"Albus!" 

He turned just in time to be swept up into his mother's arms as she engulfed him into a hug and kissed his forehead.

"We missed you terribly, Al! How was your first term?" She asked.

"Why haven't you answered any of our letters? We were beginning to worry. Was it that much fun that you forgot to write?" Harry said with a hint of amusement. 

Ginny released her son and Harry noticed the green and silver scarf wrapped around his youngest sons neck. His smile faltered slightly and Albus immediately wished he hadn't worn it, despite how cold the December day was. 

"So, it is true... James told us in a letter but I thought perhaps it was one of his jokes. I wasn't sure. I had hoped you'd owl us and tell us yourself." Harry said. Albus couldn't work out how his father was feeling, his reaction more subdued than he expected. 

"Why, I think it's wonderful, Al," Ginny said, trying to cheer up her son. "Green really does make your eyes pop." She reached out to brush some of his dark hair out of his face. Albus turned his head away so she couldn't touch him. She frowned but lowered her hand. "Is everything alright?" 

"Can we just go home?" He finally muttered. 

"Say, who was that boy you got off the train with?" Harry inquired, trying to peer over the crowd to catch another glimpse of him.

Albus lifted his head to look his father in the eyes, "That was my friend. Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy," He told him, jutting his chin out slightly. Ginny's head whipped around to look at her husband, fearing his reaction.

Harry needed to process the name, "Scorpius Malfoy?"

With perfect timing, preventing Albus from feeling his father's full wrath, James appeared with Lily by his side. 

"Well if it isn't my little brother, the traitor of the Potter family," He teased. "Don't see you around much. How's Ssssslytherin?" He dragged out the 'S' and put his hands together to form a snake head, worming his arms through the air. Lily giggled but Albus rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut it, James." 

Sensing the tension between her family, Ginny spoke up, "Let's head home now, shall we?"

\---

Albus spent much of his Christmas break alone in his room. His father tried to pry, asking him to tell him more about Slytherin or Scorpius but Albus stayed quiet. He could feel his fathers disapproved, he just wasn't sure if it was towards his house or his choice of friends. 

When he heard his parents mention his name one night, after they believed the kids were all in bed, Albus decided to listen in. He snuck out of his room and sat atop the stairs, hearing his parent's muffled whispers drift up from the lounge.

"--I don't know Ginny. I'm worried. Do you think I should send an owl to Neville? Have him check in on the boy?" 

"Do you think that's a good idea? Maybe we should just let him be. Let Al work things out himself. Figure out who he is on his own." 

"But Scorpius Malfoy? I thought our son would have better taste in friends than that. Bloody hell, even I knew better than to make friends with Malfoy in my first year."

"Harry, you know nothing about him! He could be a very lovely boy! Albus has a good head on his shoulders. I'm sure he knows what is best."

"I don't trust him, Ginny. Do you see how he is behaving? I've barely seen him since he got home. He never wants to talk to me about school or anything! It's like he's a completely different person." 

"Hogwarts will change a person."

"Yes but not like that. Hogwarts is a wonderful place. I'm sure that Malfoy boy is behind it. Those Malfoys are all insufferable little--"

"-- _Harry_ , please. Owl Neville if you'd like. But I think we need to let Al grow on his own. My first year at Hogwarts was tough, surely you of all people would remember. I felt lonely and out of place. But I soon was able to make it my home and develop some really great friendships. I'm sure Albus will too. But let him adjust first. It's only his first term."

"Fine. But I still think that Malfoy boy is a bad influence. I just hope that Al learns to make friends with the right kind."

Albus had heard enough. He slunk back to his bedroom, doing his best to shut the door with as little noise as possible. Soon after, he heard the sound of footsteps up the stairs. Al jumped in bed, throwing the duvet over him and shutting his eyes. The footsteps stopped outside his door and he heard it gently be pushed open.

Harry glanced into his son's room to find him curled up in bed. With one last glance, he shut the door again, leaving Albus alone in the dark.

\---

Despite Ginny's hopes, Hogwarts never really got better for Albus. The only thing that made it bearable was his friend--his _best friend_ \--Scorpius. Together, Albus was able to make it through his first and second year despite the teasing, the name calling, and the humiliation. 

By his third year, Albus still hated the idea of returning to Hogwarts but at least he had Scorpius. 

His father was almost unable to join them on their trip to Platform 9 3/4. Albus has been filled with relief when his mother gave the children Harry's regrets. But just in time the very morning of September first, Albus' father--in true Harry Potter fashion--burst through the door sporting an accomplished smile and a fresh cut on his cheek.

"Dad! You made it!" Lily exclaimed running into her father's arms.

James shared her excitement, "I thought you weren't going to be able to come." He dropped the trunk he had lugged from his room, joining his father and sister in a group hug.

Harry smiled, "Well I couldn't miss dropping Lily off for her very first year at Hogwarts! So I was able to wrap up my case a little bit earlier than expected." He rubbed his hands together as if brushing off lingering dirt and dust from his duties as Head of Magical Law Enforcement. "Now, is everyone ready? We best be going soon. We wouldn't want to miss the train like Ron and I did in our second year."

Lily giggled with an eager nod, running over to where her packed trunk was waiting. James picked up his trunk again, ready to bring it out to the waiting car.

Harry turned to Albus, who stood back against the wall, keeping a fair distance between them, "How about you, Al? Ready for another year of school?" He asked with enthusiasm, trying to be encouraging.

Al grunted, "Let's just get on with it." He uncrossed his arms to pick up his truck, pushing past the rest of his family to drag it out the front door.

Harry looked to Ginny with a quirked eyebrow, hoping for an explanation of Albus' mood. Ginny just shrugged, her hand raised to just brush her chin as she watched Albus storm out. Her eyes flickered with concern which she quickly blinked away as she turned her attention back to her other children.

"Well then, let's get a move on!"

\---

The train platform was busy as it was every year full of families, tears, hugs, and laughter. Albus had learned to become numb during these times. To ignore the world around him. He felt hollow but at least the world hurt him less.

James ran off to meet his friends, like usual. He never could wait long to get to Hogwarts, practically bouncing up and down on the whole car ride there. It was the Gryffindor in him. He was hyperactive and the definition of an extrovert. If he had his way, he'd stay at Hogwarts year round.

Ginny hugged and said goodbye to Albus before she took Lily to help her load her trunk onto the train. Albus started across the platform, hoping to find Scorpius along the way, but his dad stopped him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He stared out through his glasses at the shiny red train with a wistful look as if wishing he too could return to the magical school.

"Third-year. Big year," He stated. "I met my godfather, in my third year. Sirius Black. A great man. I named your brother after him."

Albus rolled his eyes, "I know dad. You've told us a million times. Each of us is named after someone special blah blah blah." He shrugged his father's hand off his shoulder.

Harry frowned but continued to try and make a connection with his son, who seemed determined to shut him out. All he wanted was for him to be happy. To be the boy he knew before he went off to school. 

"Here is your permission form for Hogsmeade." Harry pulled out the sheet of paper from his coat pocket and handed it to his son. He hoped that somehow, the trips to Hogsmeade would cheer him up. Let him have fun in the village and be free of the castle for a short period of time. Maybe Albus could use that feeling of liberation from his studies. 

"I hate Hogsmeade," Albus grumbled, refusing the paper.

"How can you hate a place you haven't actually visited yet?"

"Because I know it will be full of Hogwarts students" Albus stated like it was obvious. He couldn't imagine anything worse than a village full of his peers. The tormenting would only continue, but this time without any adults to step in. 

"Just give it a go." Harry encouraged, holding the paper out again with. With a wink, he added, "This is your chance to go nuts at Honeydukes without your mum knowing!"

Albus snatched the paper from his father hands, crinkling it up into a little ball and tossing it onto the ground.

"No, Albus don't you dare," Harry uttered in a threatening tone. But it was too late. Albus had already whipped out his wand, pointing it at the crumpled ball.

" _Incendio!_ " The paper lit up with a burst of flame that was quick to dissolve into nothing. All that was left of the paper was a small pile of grey dust. Albus put his want away with a smug grin.

"Of all the stupid things!" Harry exclaimed, rubbing his temples. 

"The Ironic thing is, I didn't expect it to work. I'm terrible at that spell" Albus crossed his arms, kicking away the dust as an added measure.

Harry took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn't want to get into a fight with his son before he left--Especially not publically. "Albus. I've been exchanging owls with Professor McGonagall. She says your isolating yourself. You're uncooperative in lessons. Surely your--"

"So what would you like me to do?" Albus spat, throwing his arms out as he began to make dramatic motions as he spoke, waving his hands about, "Magic myself popular? Conjure myself into a new house? Transfigure me into a better student? Just cast the spell, dad, and change me into what you want me to be. Okay? it will work better for the both of us." He grumbled, grabbing the handle of the trolley that held his things. "I've got to go." He turned away from Harry, not wanting to look at him as he began to put the trolley towards the Hogwarts Express. "Train to catch. Friends to find..." he rolled his eyes.

Leaving his father behind in the crowd, Albus scanned the platform, hoping to catch sight of a familiar head of platinum blond hair. Soon, he spotted him from behind and Albus made a beeline towards his friend. He stopped his trolley beside where Scorpius sat alone on his trunk. 

"Scorpius!" Albus smiled, relieved to finally be back with his best--and only--friend. But immediately, Albus knew something was wrong. "Scorpius? Are you okay?"

Scorpius didn't respond, staying curled up with his face in his hands. His grey eyes looked glossed over. He had a far-off look and his face showed no hint of his usual smile. It was unlike Scorpius to be unhappy on the first of September. Despite the harassment of the other students, Scorpius loved school. He loved to learn, do homework, and roam the library. Albus couldn't understand his passion for education but he'd stopped trying to question it. There was only one thing that could bring Scorpius' mood this low.

"Your mum... its got worse," Albus said softly, kneeling down to be beside him. As long as Albus had known him, he knew Scorpius' mother was ill. It had only gotten worse over the few years they had been friends. Albus had only met her once but he knew that Scorpius adored her. 

"Its gotten worse than it can possibly get" He barely managed to form the words, his bottom lip quivering. He stared straight ahead, trying to avoid blinking in fear that, if he did, tears would spill out of his eyes again. 

"I thought you'd send an owl..."

"I couldn't work out what to say," Scorpius voice cracked.

"And now I don't know what to say."

"Say nothing."

"Is there anything--" Albus began to offer.

"Come to the funeral?" He interrupted, turning to look Albus in the eyes and finally allowing himself to blink. A tear fell down Scorpius' pale skin--paler than usual.

He hated seeing the pain in his best friend's eyes "Of course." He placed a hand on Scorpius' knee in his best attempt at comforting him. How could you console a friend after something as tragic as...

"And be my good friend," Scorpius finished with a shallow breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually quite liked the scene in the play where Albus goes off for his third year, so I decided to keep it. Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Sunday Morning News

As the summer days started cooling and autumn approached, the feeling of dread in Albus' stomach grew larger, tossing and turning inside of him and threatening to fill his whole body with the dark and murky feeling. While many people loved autumn, with the changing leaves, cosy jumpers and the nearing holidays, Albus hated the season because it meant only one thing to him: Back to school. This feeling came to him at the same time for the past five years since he started at Hogwarts and it never got any easier.

He sat up in his bed, unable to sleep, absentmindedly picking at his chipping black nail varnish while staring out the window opposite him, thinking about the impending day of departure. In just three days time he would be starting his sixth year at Hogwarts, aka the year his father began to discover Voldemorts Horcruxes and first got together with Albus' mum. Every year, he was reminded of his father's triumphs when he was his age. Whether it was through family, classmates, teachers, magazines, or books, there was always something boasting his father's legacy.

A legacy that Albus could never live up to.

In fact, his years at Hogwarts had been the opposite of glorious. He never fought dark wizards, or won huge tournaments, or travelled in time to save someone. No, his school life consisted of embarrassing himself in front of his classmates, performing subpar magic, and becoming the laughing stock of the Potter family. He was constantly disappointing people by not living up to expectations of the Potter name. In his first year, he displayed his lack of Quidditch skills to the dismay of the Holyhead Harpies fans. And he let down his teachers by showing little skill in charms, transfiguration, defence against the dark arts, and just about every other class that required a wand.

Meanwhile, the other Potter children excelled in school.

James Sirius Potter lived up to his namesakes, causing mayhem around the castle as the school troublemaker, while still managing to remain at the top of his class. He was entering his final year as a talented student, one of the most popular Gryffindors, and the captain of the Quidditch team. If it weren't for his rambunctious side, he would have been a shoo-in for Head Boy. He not only exceeded expectations in charms class--even managing to create his own new spells--he also charmed the girls, never seen without his arm around a new girl every year. He'd spent the majority of his summer, exchanging sappy love letters with a Ravenclaw bird he'd wooed in the last term.

Lily Luna, who was now entering her fourth year at Hogwarts, had been sorted into Gryffindor within seconds. She became one of the most beloved students in school, praised by every teacher, friend of every student, and even liked by every creature in and around the school grounds. She'd followed in her father's footsteps as the Gryffindor seeker, making the team the previous year. She developed a love for Care of Magical Creature and Herbology, and became a teacher's pet, much like her aunt Hermione. Her summer had been filled with non-stop plans with friends, still managing to find time to read almost every book on the shelves.

Finally, after a sleepless night, Albus finally rose for breakfast. He threw on a black t-shirt over her bare chest before heading downstairs to the awaiting smell of toast and sausage.

Despite only being half eight in the morning, the Potter family was as lively as ever. Harry fixed breakfast on the hob, watching over the frying pan as he poured glasses of juice across the kitchen with a flick of his wand. At the kitchen table, Ginny flipped through the Daily Prophet, wrapped up in her dressing gown, sipping her second cup of tea. Beside her, Lily was already dressed and ready for the day as she scribbled out a letter to one of her many friends. Her brown and black speckled horned owl, Luella, perched on her shoulder, waiting for her next journey. Finally, James lounged with his feet on the chair across from his, using his wand to transfigure a muffin into various other objects and small animals.

Albus hated Sundays. They were the only day his family wasn't busy with work or activities and would sit and eat breakfast together. He tried to slip in silently, not wanting to attract attention. But it was no use.

"Morning, Al!" Harry greeted him, "Sausage?" He offered, transferring them from the pan to a set of plates already piled high with toast and potatoes.

Albus ignored the offer, reaching into the pantry for a box of cereal, which he dumped into a bowl. Harry frowned with a dismissive shake of his head, waving his wand so the plates of food floated over to the table, setting themselves down in front of each of the awaiting family members.

Albus poured some milk into his bowl, before trudging over to his family at the table. He set it down, then pulled out the chair from under James' feet, which fell to the floor.

James rolled his eyes, "Well aren't you a ray of sunshine this morning. I'm surprised you even came out of your cave."

"James," Ginny said with a warning tone, "Stop playing with that muffin and actually eat something."

He huffed, but obeyed, transfiguring the muffin back from a toad and taking a bite. Albus shuttered, trying not to think too hard about what that muffin had been.

"So," Harry cleared his throat, "Lily, do you have any plans today?"

Lily shrugged, biting into her piece of toast, "Well, Winnie is busy today, Ben was going shopping for school books with his parents, and it's Fey's little brother's birthday, so I was just going to stay home today. Maybe I will start packing my trunk today. Which reminds me," She looked to her mum, "I need a new grey jumper. I outgrew mine over the summer."

"I will pick one up tomorrow after work."

"And you, James?" Harry looked to his oldest son, who had already scarfed down most of his breakfast.

He shrugged, speaking through a mouthful of food, "Might go for a run later. Got to get in shape for Quidditch season."

Albus rolled his eyes, "Quidditch doesn't even involve running. You're on a broom. How in shape do you even have to be?" 

James made a face at his little brother, his eyes rolled up and lips moving to mock Albus' nagging. 

Harry ignored their bickering and turned to Albus, almost hesitating to ask, "What about you Al? What are you doing today?"

"You mean other than mope around his room in the dark, whining about how much he hates life and misses Scorpius?" James teased. Albus shot him a glare, kicking his leg under the table.

Harry ignored James' comment but shot him a warning glare, waiting patiently for his youngest son's answer.

Albus just shrugged, moving around the soggy pieces of cereal with his spoon, "I don't know." As much as he hated to admit it, James was probably right.

Harry didn't push the matter further, choosing to focus instead on his breakfast. The breakfast table was silent save for the scratch of Lily's quill and the rustle of Ginny's newspaper. Ginny let out a displeased hum as she read the Prophet, catching her husband's attention. 

"What is it this time?" Harry asked, taking a sip of orange juice. "Lorelei Lacero trying to tarnish my name again?" He waved his hand through the air, used to the gossip surrounding his name.

Ginny shook her head, turning the newspaper out for Harry to see, "An old Hogwarts professor was found dead." All the children looked up when they heard their school mentioned. 

"Dead?" James blinked, distracted from his food. He peered at the article that his mother displayed.

"Who was it? Do I know them?" Lily spoke up, her eyes wide with concern.

Ginny shook her head, "There's nothing to worry about, Lily. She retired years ago. Septima Vector. She used to teach arithmancy when we were in school."

"She was killed," Harry stated bluntly. As the head of Magical Law Enforcement, he probably already knew the case inside and out. "Found dead on her way home from food shopping. I sent a team down there to examine." He shook his head in remorse.

"She was killed?" James repeated, "Bloody hell, by who?"

"Language, James," Ginny reminded him, although she had been thinking the same thing.

"We aren't sure who or what yet. But we know it was magical in origin." He rubbed his temples, his forehead wrinkling as he shut his eyes trying to process everything. "First the man in Hogsmeade and now an old professor. It's going to be a busy week in my department." 

Albus picked his head up to look at his dad, "Were they connected in any way?"

Harry seemed almost surprised by Albus' interest, "It's highly unlikely. We have no reason to think that. Why do you suppose?"

Albus shrugged, "Hogsmeade is close to Hogwarts. Just seems like an awful coincidence to me."

"If they were connected, we would know. There's no need to worry," Harry reassured his kids.

"Hogwarts is the safest place you can be," Ginny added. "Besides, the article said that she was living in Bristol at the time. Far from Hogwarts."

Lily looked relieved but still curious, "Did you know her well?"

Harry shook his head with a wave of his hand, "Just by name, really. Never studied arithmancy. Although your aunt Hermione enjoyed that subject."

James shook his head in disbelief, "Wow, you just nip off to Tescos for some food and then _poof!_ Dead..." He leaned his face against his hand.

"James, be respectful of the dead," Harry raised his eyebrows at him. "She was a very hard working woman who fought bravely in the Battle of Hogwarts."

James shrugged, "I'm just saying! Sounds like a horrible way to die."

Harry opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a tapping on glass behind him.

Ginny rose, opening the window, letting a large barn owl swoop in, landing gracefully in front of Albus. Lily's owl hooted resentfully at the familiar owl. Everyone watched Albus take the letter from the owl, knowing exactly where it came from. The barn owl nuzzled him, with a happy coo, before taking off back to his owner. Albus bit back a smile, the sight of the sprawled handwriting on the enveloped filling him with warmth.

"Another letter from Scorpius? That's nice of him." Ginny noted, not even needed to see who had sent it. She knew by now.

The family's attention turned from the Prophet to Albus. Harry gave a stiff nod in agreement, trying to be supportive, but Albus already knew what his dad thought. Ever since his first year, when he met Scorpius, his father was wary of their friendship. It was a struggle for him to get over his past with the Malfoy family, and he found his son's close friendship with the youngest Malfoy unsettling.

"I'm going to my room," Albus announced, standing up abruptly. He didn't wait for a response, as he took the letter back upstairs, leaving his breakfast half eaten. His family didn't protest, immediately turning their attention back to the news.

"Shame what happened," Albus heard his mum say as he left. "Seemed like a nice lady..."

Slamming the door behind him, he sat in his desk chair, ripping open the envelope. Letters from Scorpius were the only thing that kept him going through the summer. Getting one was like receiving a gift.

Other than school, Albus never got to see Scorpius; the tension between their families prevented them from getting together during the summer. They lived practically on opposite sides of the country, making the journey too long to meet up often by train or car, and floo powder made Albus too nauseous. He couldn't wait until he learned to apparate so they could meet up in seconds with no issue. As much as Albus hated the distance between him and his best friend, it made their letters so much more special 

_Albus,_

_Hope you're alright. Sorry that your family is giving you a hard time. Just hang in there. You'll be able to get away from them soon when school starts._

_I can't wait until September. My father and I bought my school supplies yesterday. I've already started reading my books. I know you hate it, but I think transfiguration is going to be great this year. Have you got all your supplies yet? My dad insisted on buying me the new Firebolt X even though he knows I'll never use it. Waste of good money, if you ask me._

_Sorry I don't have much more to say this week. It hasn't been too interesting. I think dad and I are going to take a short trip to Wales before school starts, so that's sure to be awkward. I'll have to tell you about it on the train._

_Miss you loads! See you on the first!_

_~Scorpius_

Albus smiled. Even the slightest interaction with Scorpius made him feel better.

He pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write back. He knew they would see each other in just a few days time, but writing to Scorpius distracted him from the world for a bit, so he didn't care.

He quickly scribbled an update on his life. Not much differed from the previous weeks, so there wasn't much to say.

_'Miss you too._

_Love, Albus'_

He sat back, staring at the letter for a moment. Then he crumpled it up, throwing in the bin. He rewrote the entire letter, only to change the ending.

_'Miss you too._

_Albus'_


	4. Things That Go Unnoticed

There was a short rap on the door before the intruder burst in the room, not waiting for a response.

"What are you doing still in bed? It's quarter past noon!" Ginny complained as she entered her son's room, which was still cloaked in darkness and he laid in his pyjamas, his hair a tousled mess. She flicked her wand, opening the curtains. Sunlight streamed in, practically blinding Albus.

" _Mum!_ " Albus groaned in annoyance, blinking and rubbing his burning eyes.

"Up, up!" She ordered, floating around the room, picking up any old glasses, plates, and empty crisp packages. "Your aunt and uncle will be here soon. I know it's the last day of summer holiday and you just want to rest, but you have to at least show your face to the family." 

"If they want to see my face, just show them a picture. It will last longer" He grumbled and was met with an unamused look. "Okay, okay! Just get out of my room." Albus waved her out. She raised her eyebrows at him, her free hand placed firmly on her hip. He sighed and added, "Please?"

"Be presentable and downstairs in ten minutes," She said as she left. Albus shut the door behind her, then begrudgingly made his way to his wardrobe. He pulled out a random pair of grey jeans and a black t-shirt. He threw them on, then ran a comb through his hair. It was only his family, he could care less if he looked good or not. Within minutes, he was in the lounge with the rest of his family, staring at the fireplace. 

"Well aren't you a rainbow of colours," Lily noted, her voice laced with sarcasm as she looked Albus up and down, unimpressed with his greyscale outfit. His outfit was the antithesis of hers, which consisted of a yellow blouse, and a floral skirt. Her bright red hair matched her sunny disposition just as Albus' black hair suited his. He ignored her, taking a place on the sofa.

Harry glanced at the clock above the mantle, "Hermione said they would be arriving at one," He said, watching the minute hand. With a slow tick, it fell on the 12 and there was a small rumbling.

There was a burst of ash and green flames, as figures began to emerge from the fireplace. Ron came through first, followed by Hugo, Rose, and finally Hermione. The room was filled with the sounds of friendly reunion. The two families exchanged greetings, hugs, and began to catch up with each other.

"It's so lovely to see you again. How have you been?" Hermione pulled Harry into a hug.

"So James, last year at Hogwarts, eh?" Ron asked the eldest Potter child.

"Hugo, I heard you're going out for Quidditch this year!" Ginny gave her ginger-haired nephew a proud pat on the back.

Albus remained sitting on the sofa in the corner, leaning his cheek on his fist, already wishing he was back in bed. The rest of the family went on chatting cheerfully, while Albus sat alone, examining the wallpaper in great detail. 

There was a sudden dip in the sofa cushion, surprising Albus. He looked over to see his cousin Rose, smiling brightly at him.

"Hi, Al! You alright?" She asked with a quirk of her head.

"Y-yeah, I'm alright. Thanks." He responded, surprised that she'd decided to talk to him. 

As children, they had been best friends despite their opposing personalities. Rose had always been outgoing and energetic, whereas Albus was more soft-spoken. But their closeness in age made them the perfect pair, playing games, making up stories, and engaging in lively conversations. But that all changed when they started at Hogwarts. They shared many of the same classes, but their houses divided them.

Albus remembered their first potions lesson in their first year. He walked into the cold dungeon classroom, looking around cautiously at all the various liquids, powders, and other ingredients that decorated the shelves. 

"Al!" He heard someone call him, and saw Rose sitting at the front of the room, waving for him over. He started to move towards her when he noticed the looks he was getting from her Gryffindor friends who sat around her. They stared at him with cold eyes and disapproving frowns, as if he had kicked a puppy right in front of them. 

He quickly changed directions, walking right past Rose. Scanning the room for another empty seat, he found one at the back of the class, next to Scorpius, whom he'd recently met.

"Can I sit here?" He asked the blond boy, pointing to the empty chair.

Scorpius smiled, "Of course."

Albus put his books down just as the professor walked in. 

"Hello, first years! Please open your textbooks to the first page of the introduction." 

From the front of the class, Rose looked back at him, her eyes showing hurt and confusion. Albus pretended he hadn't seen, flipping open his book instead.

That was the beginning of the end of their close relationship. 

Albus spent the rest of his first year avoiding his cousin, despite the numerous attempts she made to talk to him. Now, Albus regretted his behaviour toward Rose. He missed their friendship, but he knew there was no going back to fix it. It would never be the same as it used to be. 

"Are you ready to go back to school tomorrow?" She asked, trying to make conversation. Unfortunately for her, Albus was never that great at conversation.

"I suppose," He shrugged, playing with the seam of his shirt. There was a lull, as Rose tried to figure out what to say that would actually get Albus talking.

"So..." She swung her legs over the edge of the sofa, "How is Scorpius? Have you heard from him recently?"

"He's good. I got a letter from him yesterday. He's looking forward to going back." Albus answered.

"Oh, that's nice." The conversation was stiff, dying before it even got started. Rose looked thankful when her younger cousin rescued her.

"Rose! Come see the new broom I got in Diagon Alley last week! I saved for it all by myself!" Lily took Rose's hand, pulling her out to the garden. 

Albus found himself sitting alone in the corner again, feeling ignored by the rest of his family. After a few long minutes of keeping to himself, he finally stood, slipping out of the lounge and back up the stairs with no issue.

Back in the comfort and safety of his room, Albus closed the curtains again, blocking out the sun. He flopped back onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow. He tried to block out the muffled sounds of his family talking downstairs.

No one noticed him leaving.

No one noticed he was gone. 

No one noticed he had been there in the first place.

Despite the warm summer air and cosy bedsheets, a cold seemed to settle upon his skin. A weight began to pull on his chest, dragging him down, down. A fog filled his mind. He didn't know how much time had passed as he laid still on his bed, staring at the wall.

Finally, he managed to muster up some energy to reach into the drawer of his bedside table. He shifted through some rubbish and random trinkets until he found what he was looking for. He pulled out an old, cheap, mobile phone. He flipped it open, typing in a number he knew by heart.

The wizarding world had never caught on to the idea of mobile phones. They saw them as a complicated hassle. Smartphones were too confusing and distracted the muggles from the real world. Most wizards wouldn't even know how to turn one on, let alone be able to send a text. But in an attempt to modernise the family and keep them safe, Harry had given each of his children a flip phone that probably had been discontinued in 2010. Albus barely ever touched it unless it was an emergency. But he needed it now.

There was a metallic ringing tone before a familiar voice broke through.

"Hello?" The voice sounded distant and fuzzy.

"Scorpius," Albus stifled a giggle.

"Hello? Albus? Is that you?" Albus could hear his friend's confusion even though the muffled receiver.

"Scorp, I think your hand is covering the microphone," Albus told his friend, a grin growing on his lips.

"Oh." The was a soft fumbling before Scorpius spoke again, "Albus? Can you hear me?" This time his voice came in clear.

"Yeah, now I can."

"Bloody mobiles. I will never understand why muggles worship these things." He muttered. "Anyways, are you okay? Why did you call?" His voice filled with concern. He knew Albus only called him if there was something wrong or urgent that couldn't be delivered through a letter.

Albus didn't know what to say. Even he didn't know exactly why he had called.

"I just needed to hear your voice," He finally told him.

"Oh..." Scorpius didn't sound convinced, "You sure that's all?"

There was a pause.

"Yeah," Albus sighed, "Well, you know my family." He mumbled. He didn't have to elaborate; Scorpius understood.

"I know... Have you tried talking to someone about how you feel?" Scorpius asked.

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"Uh well yes. But I meant to like your parents."

Albus scoffed, "Oh yeah, I'm sure that my father--the Great Harry Freakin Potter who defeated the Dark Lord at 17--would totally listen to his sad son whine about how awful the world is." He could already hear the conversation that would ensue playing out in his head. The only way it ended was in a shouting match.

"Albus, he's your father, I'm sure he'd understand. Or at least try to. He loves you."

"That's debatable," he muttered.

Scorpius ignored his comment, "What about your mum? She'd listen to you, for sure."

"I dunno," Albus said softly, "I don't really want to talk to anyone except you, really."

"Well, I'm always going to be here for you, if you need me."

Albus' lip tweaked up, threatening a smile, "Thanks, Scorp."

"And tomorrow," He added, his voice lifting, "We will be on our way back to school. Away from your family for a while. And we'll be together again!"

Although the thought of going back to school brought new threats, Albus decided to overlook them, focusing on seeing his friend again, "Yeah, you're right."

The thump of footsteps up the stairs caught Albus' attention and he knew where they were headed.

"Hey, Scorp, I got to go. Thanks for listening."

"No problem, mate. See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah, see you."

"Bye."

Albus flipped the phone closed right as his bedroom door swung open.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Albus shot bitterly at his father, who stood in the doorway.

"Ever heard of spending time with your family?" Harry retorted back with more elegance. "Seriously, Al. It's like I never see you anymore." He sat on the edge of Albus' bed.

Albus rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sometimes it feels like you don't see me at all."

"What's are you implying?"

"I dunno, dad!" He crossed his arms, avoiding eye contact with his father.

"Al--"

"--My name's Albus, not Al."

"--Albus," He corrected himself, "I'm worried about you."

"Well, thanks for your concern. Can you leave now? I have to finish packing." He made up an excuse in hopes that his dad would leave him be.

Harry took the opportunity to try and bond with his son, "Do you want a hand? Packing. I always loved packing. It meant I was leaving Privet Drive and going back to Hogwarts. Which was... well, I know you don't love it but--"

"For you, it's the greatest place on earth. I know. The poor orphan, bullied by his uncle and aunt Dursley..." Albus scoffed.

"Albus..." Harry's voice grew softer but Albus didn't stop.

"Traumatized by his cousin, Dudley, saved by Hogwarts. I know it all, Dad. The poor orphan who went on to save us all. Blah, blah, blah." He finished with a huff.

Harry stared down at his lap. For a moment, Albus wondered if he went too far. But Harry reached out, placing a gentle hand on his son's shoulder.

"Why don't you like Hogwarts?" He finally asked.

Albus rolled his eyes at the ridiculous question, "What is there to like? You saw my O.W.L. results. You know I'm a failure." He shrugged his father's hand off.

"You got an O in potions and an E in History of Magic, I would hardly call that failing." Harry reminded him.

"Did you forget about all my other exams? I was only three marks away from getting Troll in transfiguration. I'm hopeless."

"Don't say that. You just need to put in more effort."

"I am," Albus argued. "Sorry I can't be as smart or talented as James or Lily. Sorry I can't be the perfect son that you expect me to be."

"You know I don't think that."

"Well, it sure feels like you do." 

Harry could tell he wasn't getting anywhere with his son, so he switched tactics, "You can make this year better. Maybe if you tried making a few more friends," He suggested, "without Hermione and Ron I wouldn't have survived Hogwarts, I wouldn't have survived at all."

"But I don't need a Ron and Hermione. I've--I've got a friend, Scorpius, and I know you don't like him but he's all I need." He said, stubbornly.

Harry sighed, "Look, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters to me."

"But you admit you don't like him?" He raised an eyebrow at Harry.

Harry could tell that Albus was trying to rile him up, "I admit I am wary of him because of his family's past, but that doesn't mean I can stop you from being friends. I know you care about him."

"I don't just care about him, dad! He's--he's my best friend! He's all I have. Why should his family matter? Look at me! I'm Harry Potter's son and I'm nothing like you!"

Harry was starting to lose his patience, "Well it's different. The Malfoy's were close followers of Voldemort, that makes them dangerous."

Albus shook his head in disbelief, "Have you ever even met Scorpius? What do you know about him that makes him 'dangerous'?"

He found himself raising his voice, his anger finally spilling over, "I know that since you started being friends with him, you've completely changed!" 

There was a pause when Albus didn't respond.

Harry took a deep breath, steadying himself before he continued, "Listen, Al. I'm your father. Your mother and I have known you your whole life. You were always such a happy child. Sure, you were more timid than your brother and sister, but you were always so close to us all. You and Rose--you were inseparable! Now you barely speak."

Albus lowered his head, knowing his father was right.

"You used to come running to your mum and I every time you had a problem. You used to talk to us. You would tell us about your day, your dreams, and what you wanted to be when you grew up. But when we said goodbye to that boy at the platform that day, we never saw him again. You came back as a different Albus. You hardly speak to us. You hide away in your room in the dark all day. You barely eat. We notice these things, Al. Your mother and I, we're worried about you." 

Albus bit at the inside of his cheek, "So what?" He spoke softly, "I've changed. That's life. I don't see what it's got to do with Scorpius."

Harry sighed, debating whether he should say what he thought or not, "We--" He paused to correct himself, taking Ginny out of this, "--I think that he has been a bad influence on you."

Albus almost laughed, "Scorpius? A bad influence? That's hilarious." If anything, Scorpius was the type of boy parents would want their child hanging around. He always did his homework, achieved high marks, and was terrified of getting in trouble. 

"He's a _Malfoy_ , Albus."

"And I'm a Potter. Your point?"

Harry was struggling to keep his frustration at bay, "I'm just saying, everything was fine before you became friends." 

"Fine? Do you even know what I go through every day? If I didn't have Scorpius, I--I probably wouldn't be here."

Harry blinked, speaking before he thought, "Don't be ridiculous." He immediately regretted his words, wishing he could take them back.

" _Ridiculous?_ " Albus gaped, looking at his dad like he didn't know who he was anymore, "Wow, glad you think that, dad. Glad you take how I feel seriously."

"Albus, you know I didn't mean that. It came out wrong." Harry tried to reconcile, reaching out to comfort his son. 

Albus turned away, "Just leave." 

Harry sighed, not moving. Every ounce of him was filled with guilt. He wished he had a time turning to take back what he had said. He should have listened to his son. Albus was being serious, but he had brushed it off as teenage hyperbole.

"Al, I love you. You know that. Please talk to me."

Albus didn't budge.

Defeated, Harry stood, slowly making his way to the door. He was about to step out when he heard Albus mumble something.

"Maybe everything would be better if I were dead."


	5. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have posted this chapter earlier but, unfortunately, my laptop broke so I had to wait for a new one to be delivered! Hope you enjoy!

The Slytherin common room wasn't exactly known for being warm and inviting. It was as if the reputation of being dark and fearsome was forced upon them by the very founders of Hogwarts itself. Stowed away in the dungeons and devoid of any natural sunlight, it was a wonder that all the students of Slytherin didn't go mad within their first year. The Slytherins needed to learn to adjust to the dim lighting and the green tinge that painted the room from the windows that looked into the depths of the lake. In an attempt to make the room one of elegance and grandeur, the founder had decorated it with detailed carvings of snakes and glistening scales in the stone of the fireplace and columns that held up the ceilings. Various curiosities and trinkets were placed on every surface: preserved animal skulls on the mantle--that were broken multiple times every year but quickly mended with a simple charm by the prefects (who'd grown so accustomed to it that instinctually repaired them with a flick of their wands when they heard the sound of shattering bone)--emerald encrusted silver cases that were rumoured to put a curse on any individual who moved it from it's place, and medieval tapestries that smelled of thousand-year-old dust if you got within half a meter of them. The common room was certainly something to behold but no place to feel like home.

It wasn't as if they didn't try to make the room seem less daunting--kindling always flickered in the great stone fireplace, alight and radiating heat; Turkish rugs of intricately woven greens and silvers were rolled out to cover patches of the dark slate floor; plush green pillows and cosy knit blankets were laid out on the stiff tufted leather sofas--but there was no way to make the room feel any less like, well, a _dungeon_. Yet somehow, it was nothing compared to the way Albus' bedroom felt now. 

Even with the dark papered walls, the bluish glow from the lake, and the stone floors untouched by the warm grace of sunlight, Albus would have preferred to be in the common room instead of in his own home. At least there he knew that at least one person appreciated his existence. 

Albus sat, unmoved, on his bed, hearing the muffled voices of his family drift up through the floorboards. The conversation--if it could even be called that--with his father had left him worked up, a bitter taste in his mouth from the harsh words spoken. His room no longer felt so comfortable--no longer his safe haven from the world. No. Now the walls felt like they were closing in on him. The shadows seemed to be expanding, spreading out from the corners and wrapping around the whole room until Albus felt encased in the darkness. It even infiltrated his mind, filling his head with a great weight and a feeling of murkiness to the point that keeping his eyes open took a great deal of effort. 

Giving in, he pressed his eyes shut, rubbing his throbbing temples. He tried to keep his breathing steady as Scorpius had taught him. _1-2-3, in. 3-2-1, out_. But this time, it didn't seem to help. The feeling of his heart thumping against his ribs wouldn't go away and his ears were still filled with the rush of blood. His back prickled as if hundreds of tiny spiders ran up and down it, as he shifted uncomfortably in his clothes to try and shake the feeling. 

Opening his eyes, they fell upon his trunk, sitting aloof across the room, packed tight with books, clothes, and anything else Albus might need throughout the year. His eyes trailed over his cluttered desk, drifting over the scattered paper and broken quills, up to a framed photograph hung from a nail in the wall. The subject in the photo moved in a never-ending loop, making the memory seem infinite.

Albus was smiling-- _genuinely smiling_. He was about 14, in the winter of his fourth year, a green and silver scarf hung loosely around his neck. Mid-laugh, his eyes were squeezed shut, arm slung over the shoulders of his best friend. Next to him, Scorpius chuckled, giving a sideways glance at his friend with a twinkle in his eye. Albus couldn't remember what had been so funny, but the memory still made him feel warm, giving him some comfort in his cold home.

He stared at it, taking long, slow blinks as an idea stirred up in his brain. It started as a small speck of dust the quickly grew into a tornado, spinning and spiralling in his head with little care of the danger or damage it could cause. With a gust of new energy, he rose from his bed, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He grabbed his wand from his bedside table, threw on his trainers, and grabbed the handle of his trunk. Hoisting it up with all the strength that his lean body could muster, he dragged it out to the hall, wishing he was James' age so he could use magic to lift the trunk for him.

Pausing at the top of the stairs, he listened closely for the sounds of his family's chatter, but it had ceased. As quiet as he could manage with the bulky trunk in his arms, he crept down the stairs, stealthily avoiding even the slightest of creaks. He peered around the corner but spotted no one in the hallway so he continued his mission. 

The muffled sound of laughter caused him to freeze and check his surroundings. Out a window, he noticed his family in the back garden. An impromptu Quidditch match had broken out. Harry, Ron and Ginny had taken to the skies, passing a quaffle between them. James, Lily, Hugo, and Rose swerved between them, trying to take possession. From the ground, Hermione watched and cheered them on, serving as a referee for the match. They all smiled and laughed, completely forgetting about Albus alone in the house.

Albus lingered for a moment, watching his family play around like children. It was something that happened often between their large family. When the whole extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins gathered at their grandparent's house during the holidays, they often had enough people for full matches. They all gathered in the fields surrounding The Burrow, splitting up into teams where they'd compete to have the silliest name that would have to be included in the commentary by their grandad, who used an amplifier charm so his voice could be heard for almost a kilometre. As the children got older, Teddy and uncle George often tried to get away with innuendos for team names, much to the disapproval of the mums. Albus' parents would always be put on separate teams because, according to uncle Ron, it was "too much talent for one team." After much debate over who was on what team and whether Teddy's name suggestion was too risque for the children or not, they'd finally mount their brooms and the match would begin. There was no telling how long it would last. Familial bonds did not stop the matches from becoming fierce. Pride and bragging rights for a whole year was on the line. One match lasted so long that they needed to call it a draw after they realised the commentary had ended because their grandad had fallen asleep on the sidelines. 

Albus grew up watching these matches and at one point must have actually enjoyed them. As a toddler, he sat on his nan's lap watching his family soar through the sky in awe. The youngest children were given toy brooms to organise their own little "quidditch" matches but they all knew it was nothing compared to the real thing. He couldn't wait to learn to fly one day so he could join in too. But it was quickly realised that Albus didn't inherit his parent's quidditch genes. 

That didn't stop him from trying one year. James begged their mum not to be on the same team as Albus because he'd "just muck it up." The rest of his family wasn't as vocal about it but he could clearly tell they weren't too thrilled about having him play on their team. Of course, the match went as well as all other forms of magic seemed to go for Albus: terribly. They didn't trust him as a beater (too clumsy and could get hurt), seeker (not skilled enough), or even keeper (couldn't risk losing the points), so he played as a chaser but rarely even saw the quaffle. They avoided passing to him at all costs and rightfully so, as the one time he was passed the quaffle, he dropped it. In the moment, trying to save it seemed like a great idea. He pictured himself swooping down to catch the quaffle in a heroic fashion, impressing all of his relatives. But of course, that wasn't what happened. 

Instead, he lost control of the broom, taking a sharp nosedive and plunging into the dirt. He was flung from the broom and skidded across the ground into a patch of tall grass. Rubbing his head, he sat up and spat out a mouthful of dirt. He could hear James snickering from above as his dad flew down to see if he was okay. 

"Maybe it would be better if you just stuck to the ground for now," His dad suggested after checking that Albus hadn't broken any bones. 

His nan rushed over to collect him, more than happy to have him join her on the sidelines, "Let's go get you cleaned up, shall we, dear?" She placed her hands on his shoulders to steer him towards the house. 

That was the last time he attempted to play quidditch with his family and no one ever argued about it. When their annual match broke out, Albus elected to stay inside, refusing his grandad's offers to let him help with the commentary. He'd rather be bored and alone inside than making a fool of himself. 

Finally, Albus tore his eyes away from the window where his family continued to play outside. He no longer felt any hesitation, his decision now cemented in his mind. He marched into the empty lounge and dropped his trunk on the ground with a powerful slam that rattled the crystals dangling from the chandelier.

Snatching a small vase that sat on the mantlepiece, a small cloud of dust flew up into his face. Albus coughed and tried to wave the powder away. Even the smell of Floo Powder made his stomach churn but he had no other options--he could apparate yet, his broom skills were less than subpar, and he wasn't sure how to navigate on the muggle transport.

Reaching inside the little blue vase, he pulled out a handful of ashen powder that slipped through his fingers like sand in an hourglass. He clenched his hand into a fist, trying not to make a mess by spilling too much powder on the floor. Pulling his trunk with one hand, he stepped into the fireplace, which was dark and coated in black soot from frequent use. Bits of leftover charred log crunched beneath his feet, disintegrating into ash under the weight of his trainers.

Stating his intended destination, he unclenched his hand. The powder fell gracefully, scattering on the floor of the fireplace. Within seconds of the Floo Powder hitting the ground, there was a blast of heat and flash of green flame and his lounge disappeared. As if with the force of a giant vacuum, Albus was sucked up. His body twisted and was flung about, feeling more battered than when he fell from the broomstick. His stomach mimicked the jolting movements and he forced his eyes shut as the air rushed past his ears sending shooting pains into his head.

Suddenly he was thrown out of the darkness back into the light of day. He shot out of another fireplace, tumbling before landing on his back with a heavy thud. The solid ground had never felt so comforting.

"Bloody hell!" A voice across the room scream after a yelp of surprise and a small thud

It took a moment before the room became visible and he was finally able to see Scorpius sat up in alert in an armchair. The book that he had presumably had been reading was now on the floor, dropped in surprise by the sudden intruder. 

"Albus?" He blinked, trying to wrap his head the sudden entrance. Then, looking on the floor to see where his book had fallen, he let out a cry of frustration "Now I've lost my page!" He complained, frantically picking his book up and flipping through the pages to find the right one. He slipped a bookmark in up against the spine, placing it down carefully before turning his attention back to the unexpected visitor, "What are you doing here?"

Albus opened his mouth to explain but only managed to choke out, " _I think I'm gonna be sick._ "

Scorpius jumped up and rushed over to his friend's aid. He wrapped an arm around Albus, helping his stand up.

Swallowing back what little lunch he ate, he let Scorpius guide him over to his bed, letting him lay down. Scorpius watched over him, his eyebrows scrunched together, still puzzled but allowing Albus moment to recuperate.

"Are you okay?" He asked with concern.

Albus gave him a slow nod, "I will be once the room stops spinning." In a fit of vertigo, he dug his nails into the silk sheets as if hanging on for dear life. 

"Do you need water?" Scorpius offered, trying anything to make his friend feel better.

Albus shook his head. He didn't think putting anything in his stomach was the best idea right now.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," He said, regaining a bit of his strength, the vertigo slowing and the room becoming steady. 

Scorpius seemed unsure, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, wishing there was more he could do to help. 

"Really," Albus insisted, sitting up against the magnificently carved wooden headboard, pulling his legs to his chin. "I hate Floo powder," He grumbled.

"What are you doing here?" Scorpius asked, taking a seat by Albus' feet, "Not that I'm not happy to see you," He quickly added. "I'm just surprised."

Albus sighed, rubbing his aching head, "My family..." He didn't even need to finish. Scorpius understood. His eyes trailed to Albus' trunk and nodded, the situation becomes clearer. Scorpius was accustomed to Albus' complaints and moanings about his family. He received letters full of it when anything major took place at the Potter household during the summer holiday. But this was the first time Albus had ever shown up at his house. 

"Oh," He frowned with a hint of pitty, "Well you're always welcome. Maybe just warn me before you come bursting out of my fireplace, okay?" He said with a faint grin. 

"Thanks, Scorp. You're the best, you know that?" Albus allowed himself a small smile as he stared into his friend's eyes. It had been too long since he saw those eyes--two months too long. Two months of agony in the Potter household of Albus wishing he could be with his best friend again. Letters just weren't enough to get him through the summer.

Scorpius smiled, turning to look down at his feet. For a moment, he looked lost in thought as he chewed at his lip slightly and his brown furrowed. Albus took the moment to close his eyes, resting his head back and draping his arms over his still churning stomach. 

"I should tell my father you're here," Scorpius stood up suddenly.

Albus' eyes fluttered open and he reached out to grab his arm, pulling him back down to sit at the edge of the bed, "No, please stay. I just need you here for a minute." His eyes pleaded with Scorpius, knowing he'd give in. 

Scorpius didn't argue, "Want to talk about it?" He tilted his head in concern. Even with Albus' constant complaining, Scorpius was always willing to lend an ear if he needed it. It was one of the things Albus needed most, although he'd never admit it to anyone. Everyone seemed to assume Albus liked being the silent loner kid. But if he never got anything off his chest, he would be sure to explode. 

"Not really. Just stay with me." Albus mumbled, letting his eyes fall shut again and releasing Scorpius' arm from his grip. 

Scorpius nodded, "Of course. Always."

\---

The Malfoy Manor boasted the same elegance and poise as those bearing the name--an equal amount of darkness too. High vaulted ceilings, dangling chandeliers of dusty crystals and silver, towering pillars with ever flickering torches, and marble floors that echoed with every footstep. Corners were shadowed, some with cobwebs forming that would soon be dusted away by a house elf. It was almost always empty, with only two occupants and the small staff of house elves. 

Draco Malfoy, the current head of the household, had inherited the manor shortly after his marriage--a gift from his father. Lucius would never admit it but he had been itching to be rid of the place. Draco had come to realise it after his father refused his offer to continue living there, insisting he and Narcissa were comfortable "downsizing". He could see it in his father's eyes the day he moved out. His face had remained stoic but his eyes hinted at a deeper feeling: one of pain and resentment. After living his whole life in the manor, it had become a place filled with wickedness that he couldn't wait to escape. The reputation lingered in the aged walls, never fully able to be washed away after the Dark Lord had walked the halls and blood had been spilt. 

Scorpius always said that his father had never been too fond of the place either and would have been happier in a house of his own choosing. But he'd agreed, wanting to legacy to live on, hoping that the past would one day finally be behind them and the manor would be glorious again.

Albus remembered visiting the manor for the first time back in the summer of before his second year. He had been intimidated by its massive size, complete with a vast garden, and heavy gated front entrance. But inside it was full of life. Astoria Malfoy had decorated every corner with a colourful painting, or potted plant. She opened the heavy velvet curtains so the sunlight could stream in, reflecting rainbows through the crystals of the entrance hall chandelier. She made sure every surface was dusted, every statue polished, and every floor waxed. It had smelled sweet, like cinnamon and freshly baked bread.

But since her death, everything seemed to fade. It became dull, dark, and empty. Scorpius often complained about how his home seemed to suck the soul out of you like a dementor. He never looked forward to coming home. Not anymore, knowing all that awaited him was a large empty manor. 

Tea time was six o'clock sharp and the whole household was required to attend. That was one rule Astoria made that was kept after her passing. It kept a stable routine for a family that was anything but.

Draco Malfoy was already seated at the head of the long wooden table by the time the boys entered the ornate dining room. He watched, stone-faced, as a tea trolley rolled in by itself from the kitchen carrying the table settings. Two plates floated over, laying themselves out in front of Draco at the head of the able and the empty seat diagonal to him, followed by two glass goblets and silver cutlery. All arranged themselves neatly into their usual places.

Albus slipped in the room silently behind Scorpius, twiddling his thumbs out of a fidgety habit. Although he tried not to be, he always felt nervous around Draco Malfoy. He had heard his father's stories and the whispers of the Malfoy's and their involvement with Voldemort. Scorpius had proven to be the exception to the Malfoy reputation that his father often spoke about but Albus had only met Draco on a few other occasions. While he chose to overlook the Malfoy family's dark past, there was always some unspoken tension between the two families that even Albus couldn't always ignore. His father's preconceived notions of Draco Malfoy had not failed to make him slightly wary of the man.

"Dad," Scorpius cleared his throat, bringing Draco's attention across the room to the two boys standing in the doorway.

Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise but his lips remained in a straight line, "Oh? I wasn't expecting any guests."

"Hi," Albus stepped awkwardly, worried that Draco would be unhappy with an unannounced visitor--especially one of the Potter variety. "I'm terribly sorry for intruding, I just--"

Draco raised his hand to stop him, "No need to apologise. There's always room at the table." He pulled out his wand, giving it a quick wave. A new set of cutlery floated from the cart as a setting was laid out on the table across from Scorpius' chair. Albus was flushed with relief, happily accepting the seat at the table. 

With another wave of Draco's wand, the cart rolled back into the kitchen only for a new cart to emerge, this one pushed by a small figure in a make-shift tunic made from a grey teatowel. The elf guided the car along easily, despite not being tall enough to see over it, stopping behind Draco. The elf lifted the domed cloche covers on the cart to reveal freshly prepared food, still steaming with warmth. The room filled with the mouth-watering aroma of fish and herbs. 

The elf took the plate in front of his master, taking it to the cart to dish out even portions of food and placing it back down in front of Draco. He continued the routine for Scorpius before pausing to in front of Albus.

"What would you like, Albus? We have some lovely baked halibut, wild rice, and asparagus here. Or we may also have some leftover pasta in the kitchen if you prefer," Draco offered. The elf waited with a cocked head for Albus' reply, holding his plate in his wee hands. 

Albus accepted the meal that the Malfoy's were having, his stomach growling at the sight of the skillfully prepared food. The average teatime meal at the Malfoy's would be equivalent to the Potter family going out for a special occasion at a restaurant. Scorpius could look forward to a quality homecooked meal every evening, whereas Albus meals mostly consisted of various types of meats and potatoes or curry takeaways when his father was too busy to cook. Judging by Scorpius' stunned look when Albus described his frequent visits his neighbourhood chippy by his house, takeaways were of a rare appearance at the Malfoy Manor. 

"Thank you, Hodgey," Draco nodded to the house elf as he rolled the cart back to the kitchen. He then turned his attention back to Albus, "So, are you looking forward to your year at Hogwarts?" Draco asked, cutting into his fish filet.

Albus shrugged, "I suppose," He lied, not wanting to get into all his issues with his best friend's father.

But Draco caught on to his hesitance, "Christmas will be here before you know it. Only two more years, boys. Enjoy it while you can. You'll miss it someday. I know I do."

'Doubt it,' Albus thought, chewing halfheartedly on his asparagus. The only thing he'd miss about Hogwarts was being away from his father for a long stretch of time. 

"So, how is your family?" Draco asked, trying to come up with more small talk. Unfortunately for him, small talk was another thing Albus didn't excel at. Scorpius shot his father a warning glance, trying to discreetly shake his head, not wanting his father to bring it up. But it was too late.

"They're fine," He answered plainly, picking at his food. He knew Draco was only asking out of formality. It wasn't as if he cared much for the welfare of Harry and his family. His name was always coming up in the Prophet, so it was unlikely Draco needed to know about his whereabouts or doings. In fact, he probably knew more than Albus, as he tended to avoid the papers and his family all together. 

Draco nodded, "I hear your father is working on a new case. Something about the death of an old Hogwarts teacher? Quite grim if you ask me. Don't know how your father puts up with that line of work." He said with a brush of his hand. Draco had little need to work after inheriting his family's wealth. Scorpius always complained about his father being home all the time and his need to get a hobby. 

"I think it's rather interesting," Scorpius piped in. "I always admired the work of the Aurors." After seeing Albus' grimace he then backtracked slightly, "Not that I'd ever actually consider it for myself. It's much too dangerous. And dirty." Scorpius shoved a forkful of rice into his mouth to shut himself up. He often got rambly when he wasn't sure what the right thing to say was. 

"Right..." Draco gave his son a slow nod with a slightly quizzical expression, "And what exactly is it you're interested in? Surely you've given it some thought after seeing your O.W.L results?"

Scorpius pondered, chewing his mouthful of rice slowly in order to buy him time to think, "That's a very good question, dad..." He said with a crooked grin and waving his finger at him.

Draco rolled his eyes, knowing his son well enough to know that he wasn't going to be able to give him a straight answer, "You best be thinking of these matters now. You'll be expected to know by the time you take your N.E.W.T.s. The courses you take this year will determine where you'll go." 

"Yes, dad," Scorpius said as if he'd heard this lecture on multiple occasions. "I will figure it out...eventually."

"Of course," Draco said, not entirely confident in his son's abilities to settle on one plan. Scorpius had always struggled with making fire decisions. Often times, he would get anxious and let Albus chose for him. But these sort of decisions were much too great for him to put in Albus' hands. It was something he'd need to determine for himself. It wouldn't be too difficult for him to find a suitable career, as Scorpius was a model student and had successfully passed all his exams; it was making the decision that would trouble him. 

"And you, Albus?" 

Bringing himself back from his thoughts, Albus blinked in surprise, "Me?"

"Yes," Draco nodded, "Do you have any interests you intend to pursue?"

Albus shrugged, mumbling slightly, "Well, I'm not really good at much." He wished he had more to offer. Similar to Scorpius, he didn't have a clear idea of what career he wanted but his options were much more limited. Unlike Scorpius, who could excel in any form of magic if he revised enough, Albus struggled to even pass his O.W.L. exams. Had he the marks and options of Scorpius, he'd have no trouble picking something that interested him. But at the rate Albus was going, it looked as if he might end up with a muggle job.

"That's not true," Scorpius interjected, "He's fantastic at potions! Top of our year!" 

"That certainly sounds like something," Draco said. "Why not pursue that?"

Albus shrugged, "It's a possibility." 

"Or history of magic," Scorpius offered another example. 

While Albus managed to get good marks in that class, he never intended to pursue the dry subject, "I'd only end up working for the Ministry, though. I'd hate that. Although my father would love it," He added as an afterthought.

"Well," Draco spoke up with a certain confidence in his voice, placing his fork down on his empty plate, "If there is one thing I know for sure, it's that you never should do something just because your father thinks it's best for you. Take my word on that, Albus." He looked the boy right in the eye so Albus could tell he meant it. Albus nodded in agreement, glad to have someone on his side for once. 

The faintest hint of a smile graced Draco's lips before he pushed his chair out from under the table and rose to his feet, "Now, let's get one of the spare bedrooms ready for your night's stay, shall we? Hodgey!" He called for the house elf, who quickly appeared from the kitchen to clear the table. 

Draco led the boys to the room across from Scorpius' turning on the light. The spare bedroom was one of many that looked as if it hadn't been slept in for years. The bedding remained in pristine condition, untouched, and the chest of drawers had long been empty.

"Don't worry, the elves do clean these rooms every so often," Draco assured him, gazing around the room as if he himself hadn't stepped foot in it in a long time. Then he turned his head to face his son, "Why don't you fetch your friend's trunk."

Scorpius nodded before leaving the room to follow his father's orders.

As soon as Scorpius was out of earshot, Draco began to speak to Albus in a more serious tone, "I know where you are coming from, Albus," He started to wander with slow steps around the room, brushing his hand over the carved antique furniture. He looked somewhere far off as if his thoughts had drifted to some time past.

"Family can be tough. There are expectations put upon you. Legacies to uphold. Names to live up to. But if you only ever listen and do as your family tells you, you'll end up feeling miserable your whole life." He turned back to face Albus to make sure he was paying attention, "My father would have loved me to have a respectable ministry job and to follow in his footsteps. But that's not me. You have to remember that you are your own person and aren't alive just to please your parents. Remember that. I could have really benefitted if someone had told me that when I was your age." 

As he looked at Albus, he was able to see some of himself inside the boy. Despite his negative relationship with his father, Draco liked Albus--he was different. While it had been a surprise to hear, Draco never took issue with Albus Potter's friendship with his son. It was a new generation and he was happy to leave the past behind and embrace the uncharted territory that the future brought. Being a parent was unpredictable, he'd come to learn, and he wasn't there to control it. So he embraced Albus as more than just the son of his former enemy but instead as the boy that managed to put a smile on the face of his son, even in his darkest time. And for that, he'd forever be grateful for the boy. 

Albus came from glory, a family of heroes. Draco came from the opposite, a family to be feared. But yet he could understand the trials of Albus, the boy from a renowned individual. A name could so often bear weight on those who shared it--whether it be respectable or nefarious. Draco dealt with it and now he could see Albus grappling with it as well. 

Scorpius returned, dragging the heavy trunk initialled A.S.P. behind him, "Merlin's beard, Albus! Did you pack your collection of rocks or something?" He grunted as he finally put it down. Draco stifled a laugh. 

"Well, I hope everything is to your liking, Albus," Draco said, glancing around one around the room one last time to make sure everything was in order.

Albus hadn't been sure how to respond to Draco's words of wisdom, still feeling slightly at a loss, "Yes. Very much so."

Draco nodded with content then added, "And remember, you're always welcome here. We enjoy having you."

Albus couldn't hide his smile, exchanging a look with Scorpius, "Thank you, sir."

Draco brushed his hand through the air with a quick roll of his eyes, "Albus, I've known you five years now, there's no need for this _sir_ business. You're practically my second son." His father had been referred to as "sir" and he was determined not to be. 

Albus felt his heart leap. He looked back over at Scorpius, who grinned with a sparkle in his eyes.

For once, Albus felt at home.


	6. Fond Farewell

The Potter house filled with the savoury aroma of a roast dinner. It had become a tradition in the family to cook up one last roast the night before the children would depart for Hogwarts--the final taste of home before the new term. 

Before their evening meal, the adults took the time together to catch up, sipping tea in the lounge. Drained from the quidditch match, they all wondered where the energy of their youth had gone. The kids, on the other hand, were just as lively as ever and ready for the new term to start. Huddled in the other room, they discussed their plans for the year and the expressed their desires for new adventures. 

"My timetable is so good this year," Lily told her cousins, "I've got back-to-back Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology on three days a week!"

"Well, of course it's easy for you, you don't need to worry about exams yet," Hugo moaned.

"Have you made a plan for revising everything yet?" Rose asked her brother. "It was a lifesaver for me last year." 

"Just make sure to slot in enough time for quidditch. This year is going to be the best year for the Gryffindor team. We'll win the cup, for sure." 

"And what makes you say that?" Lily questioned her eldest brother.

"Because I'm the captain, of course!" James boasted.

Harry smiled, overhearing the children's conversations from across the hall. Fond memories of Hogwarts came flooding back to him and he wished he could feel the exhilaration of returning to school once more. While he was satisfied with his ministry job, nothing could compare to the times he spent roaming the corridors of Hogwarts, the nights by the fire in the Gryffindor common room, and the moments spent training on the quidditch pitch. Years may have passed since his last visit but Hogwarts would forever and always be his second home. 

"Do you remember that time," Harry started, looking over to Ron, "when we were late to charms because Peeves was throwing Bertie Botts at students in the corridor?"

Ron rolled his eyes as if he could never forget that, "Nearly hit me in the eye! Boy, I'm sure ol' Pomfrey would have been thrilled to hear that one." 

Ginny shook her head with a chuckle, her eyes sparkling as she recalled the better years of her Hogwarts experience, "I think that poor lady saw enough of you during your time there. I'm shocked she still there to this day with all the mess she's had to deal with."

"Perhaps we should have given her a gift before we left. Sent her some flowers with a little card reading, "Sorry for all the trouble we've caused you. Please don't retire!" Ron suggested, prompting laughter from the others.

At the sound of the stove timer dinging, Ginny arose from the sofa in the lounge to check on the food in the kitchen. Taking out her wand, she gave it a wave and the oven door opened with a puff of heat as the steam and scrumptious scents of roast beef spread into the kitchen air. She guided the pan of beef through the air to the counter to rest, then grabbed the meat thermometer from a drawer to check that it was fully cooked. 

Ginny couldn't take all the credit for the delicious meal that awaited them. In fact, it was often Harry who did most of the cooking. Despite her mother's best efforts to teach her recipes and techniques, cooking never was never one of Ginny's strengths. On nights when Harry worked late, she could whip something simple up for her and the kids but some nights she was too stressed and tired from work to bother, which lead her to end up picking up food from one of the local takeaways instead. It may not have been as nice as her mother's homecooked meals growing up but it was still something. 

"Lily?" Ginny called out for her daughter, who quickly appeared in the doorway, "Will you please lay the table?" 

Obeying unhappily, Lily grumbled, "Why doesn't James have to do anything?" 

"James will do the washing up with Albus," Ginny assured her as she began to carve the roast the way her mum had taught her years ago. Lily left the room with her hands full of cutlery to lay out for her family and their guests in the dining room. 

The growing scent of food seemed to lure everyone into the dining room, their stomachs growling in anticipation. 

"Smells great, mum," James said, taking a peek into the kitchen. His eyes widened when he saw the trifle piled high with fruit, cake, and custard in a glass dish, "Looks even better!" He added, practically drooling over the sweet treat. With cat-like speed, he stuck out his finger to take a swipe at one of the dollops of cream atop the trifle, happily licking it off his finger before his mum could stop him.

"James Sirius!" Ginny exclaimed at her smirking son, "For heaven's sake, you're 17, you know better than that. Out, out! Go sit down." She shooed her son out of the kitchen where he rejoined the others in the dining room.

"Has there been any word on what exactly took place," Hermione asked Harry as she took a seat across from at the table. Her face was twisted in concern. It was a matter that both affected her as the Minister for Magic and personally.

Harry wished he had more information to give her but he himself still didn't know the full story, "The latest I've heard is that the witnesses were obliviated. Which leads us to the conclusion that it was, in fact, a witch or wizard."

"Well, that certainly doesn't narrow it down much." Hermione heaved a sigh, "I just feel so terribly about it all. Professor Vector was a wonderful woman. I loved her lessons!"

Harry nodded, "The loss of any great witch or wizard is always tragic. I will let you know as soon as I get any word about the case."

"Please do."

"Okay, that's enough Ministry talk for this evening," Ginny spoke up as she entered the room carrying a steaming dish of vegetables. "This is supposed to be a nice family meal."

"Of course," Hermione agreed. "I'm more than happy to not talk about work anymore. That seems to be all I do these days!"

"To be fair, you talked a lot about work back when we were at Hogwarts too," Ron jested. Hermione wrinkled her nose but knew she couldn't argue with that. 

As the whole family gathered around the table, one seat stood noticeably empty.

"Oi, where's Albus?" Rose piped up with a furrowed brow, looking across at the empty chair where her cousin should be.

"Oh, he's just up in his room," Harry waved his hand through the air, looking slightly annoyed by the fact. "Albus! Teatime!" He called for his son.

Everyone waited for the sound of footsteps down the stairs and for Albus to appear around the corner but nothing happened.

"ALBUS!" Harry bellowed louder this time, in case he hadn't heard him the first time.

When he still didn't show, Ginny sighed, standing up from the table, "I will get him." She made her way down the hall to the stairs.

"Funny fellow, Al is," Ron remarked. "Not the most social of kids. I don't think I've seen him since we arrived."

Harry shrugged, used to his son's moodiness, "Well, you know teenagers. They can be troubling." 

"Dad, you do realise your other teenagers are sitting right here," James pointed to him and Lily with the slightest hint of amusement.

"Yes, well we were all your age once. I know what it's like to be a--"

"Albus is gone," Ginny burst into the dining room, her eyes wide and voice filled with alarm.

Harry blinked, wondering if he heard her correctly, "Excuse me?"

All eyes were on Ginny, everyone with an equal look of confusion.

"Albus wasn't in his room." She restated, stood frozen in the doorway as if she was unsure of what to do with herself in this situation. At what point should she panic?

Doing his best to think calmly and logically, Harry tried to understand what had happened, "Are you sure he's not just--"

"His trunk is gone. Everything. He's not here." Ginny was starting to grow more frantic. "Our son is missing!"

Pushing his chair out with a loud screech, Harry stood, marching past his wife to go investigate. Curious and concerned, the rest on the family followed him up the stairs to Albus' room. The door was left ajar and Harry stepped inside. Rose ran upfront to peer in the room behind him, wanting to see for herself if it was true.

The room hadn't changed much since Harry had last entered. The curtains were drawn shut, the bedsheets were all bunched up, and there were still a few pieces of dirty laundry scattered about the floor. But the trunk that had been sitting by the wardrobe was now absent from the room... as well as Albus.

Harry ran his hand through his hair, tousling it into an even bigger mess, his eyes almost as round as his glasses as he turned to face his waiting family, "Where could he have gone?" He asked although he knew that no one would have the answer. 

Pushing past his the crowd of onlookers, he began to call out for his son, "Albus!" 

Everyone spread around the house, looking for any signs of their lost family member. Doors opened and slammed shut. Lights turned on and off. Albus' name was called over and over.

"Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. 

The family came running into the lounge to find Ginny on her knees next to the fireplace. In her left hand, she held a little blue vase that usually sat on the mantle. Using her right hand, she brushed her fingers over the floor by the hearth. When she raised her hand again to see, her fingers were coated in a fine powder with an unmistakable scent. She looked up to meet Harry's eyes, her mouth parted and eyebrows raised in disbelief. 

Without needing to speak, Harry understood what had happened. Albus had left. And wherever he was, it wasn't close by.

\---

"Are you sure you have everything?" Draco leaned against the doorframe of his son's room, watching him scramble to finish getting ready. 

Despite agreeing that they'd wake up early so they would have plenty of time to get ready before they had to leave for the station, Albus and Scorpius still managed to be in a rush. Albus had been awake long into the night causing him to oversleep. His mind had been swarmed with thoughts of what his family were doing and if they'd even noticed he was gone. 

Scorpius, on the other hand, didn't have a good excuse; he was just the type of person to realise he'd forget everything last minute. This habit had led him to develop a system of checking his trunk multiple times to see if he had packed everything he needed. 

"Yes, dad," Scorpius answered, looking over the contents of his trunk one last time, mentally ticking off a list. 

Draco looked sceptical, "Robes? Gloves? Quills? Scales?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes at his dad's nagging, " _Yes_ , I have everything. I promise."

"Cauldron?"

Scorpius froze for a second before rushing to the cupboard, " _Nearly_ everything." He dug around before pulling out a silver cauldron.

Draco shook his head, chuckling under his breath, "He's a bright boy," He said, turning to Albus, who waited in the hallway with his trunk all packed and ready to go. "But if it weren't for me, he'd forget half his trunk at home." Scorpius ignored his father's comment, knowing it was true, but refusing to admit it.

Albus grinned, knowing exactly what he meant. On two occasions, Scorpius had somehow managed to forget to bring his want to charms class-- _two!_ Albus couldn't help but laugh at him sometimes. Scorpius always claimed he just had too much on his mind to remember everything all the time. Albus knew that it was just a part of his general clumsiness. 

"Ready?" Draco waited for confirmation, rubbing his gloved hands together. Both boys nodded. Draco held out his arms. Albus latched on with one hand, holding the handle of his trunk in the other.

"King's Cross it is then," Draco stated before the room began disappeared with a flash. 

Albus braced himself as the pressure built in his chest and the floor fell out from under his feet. He felt himself being thrown about, stretched and compressed like a human accordion. But within seconds, they hit solid ground again. Albus took a gasping breath, trying to steady himself. As much as he still hated it, he much preferred apparating to travelling by Floo Powder.

The hustle and bustle of London now surrounded them. Cars whizzed past and travellers made their way towards the station. Sirens rang out across the city combining with the sound of a busker's guitar to compose a song of the city. 

Kings Cross stood before them, looking just as daunting as it had when Albus first visited, bringing James for his first year. Albus took a deep breath, then followed the Malfoys across the street to the doors of the station. Draco helped the boys lift their trunks onto trolleys. The last crate place on top of Scorpius' trolley let out a small growl in displeasure. 

"Careful with him!" Scorpius warned, bending over to check on his pet cat, "He's never much liked travelling." 

Once secured, the boys pushed ahead with their trolleys, weaving through the rushing crowds of muggles and wizards alike. They didn't need to worry about getting lost; they knew the way by heart. Soon, they were stood in front of the familiar brick barrier. 

"After you," Scorpius nodded for Albus to go first.

Without a second thought, Albus ran towards the barrier, travelling through the wall to the platform on the other side. The steam-filled air engulfed Albus, invading his lungs with the all-too-familiar smell. The glossy red train waited menacingly for Albus to board for his sixth straight year.

"How are you feeling?" Albus hadn't noticed Scorpius emerge next to him, his eyes glistening with concern.

Albus realised how rigid he had been standing, his knuckles white from gripping the trolley handle, "I'm fine," he told his friend, taking a deep breath. He tried to loosen himself out and ignore the somersaults in his stomach.

Scorpius placed a hand on his back reassuringly before pushing onwards. Wizards and witches of all ages gathered along the platform, toting trunks, greeting old friends, and wishing loved ones off. Albus kept his head low, trying to avoid seeing anyone he knew. Do his best to be subtle, he slipped the hood of his jumper over his head, blocking out his peripheral vision.

Unfortunately, it didn't work as well as he hoped.

" _ALBUS SEVERUS POTTER!_ "

He froze in his tracks. By reflex, Scorpius jumped to his side, his hand hovering over where his wand rested. Albus recognised the voice: it wasn't the voice of a classmate. He almost wished it was.

Slowly, he turned to see a head of scruffy black hair storming over, robes billowing with every stride. 

He came to a halt in front of the boys, "Move aside, Scorpius. I need to have a word with my son." Harry ordered, his voice deep, verging on growling.

Scorpius gave Albus an apologetic look but was much too scared to defy the fuming Harry Potter. He turned to go stand over with his father, leaving Albus alone with his.

"Dad," Albus greeted bluntly, crossing his arms in front of him. He'd hoped that he wouldn't run into his family on the platform. If he had his way, he would have gotten on the train and left without so much as a word but, alas, it was rare that the fates ever were ever in his favour. 

Harry dove straight into his lecture, "Do you know how terrified your mother and I were when we found your room empty? We almost reported you missing to the muggle police! _The muggle police!_ " He emphasised, waving his arms through the air like a mad man. 

"As if you'd really care if I disappeared," Albus rolled his eyes, not fearing his father's wrath. It wasn't the first time they'd argued on the platform, although, admittedly, Harry had never been this enraged during them. Usually, it was Albus who provoked the disagreements out of frustration with the fact that he'd have to return to Hogwarts. This year, Albus almost wished he could just apparate himself to Hogwarts to get away from his dad.

Harry squinted at his son in disbelief, "How could you even think that, Al?"

"It's not like you pay any attention to me when I'm home unless we're arguing. Why should it matter now?"

Harry tapped his foot, trying to cool his temper and sympathise with his son, "Albus, you're lucky to have parents who love and care for you. That's more than I ever had at your age."

"Oh, here we go," Albus scoffed, "the old _'I was a sad orphan'_ story. Like I haven't heard it a million times."

His father was taken aback, "Excuse me?"

"--And if you really care for me" Albus continued on his rant, "why do I feel so much happier at the Malfoy's then? Where they make sure I'm alright. And actually talk to me without yelling or arguing with me."

"The Malfoy's aren't your family, Albus." He responded as if Albus needed the reminder.

"Well, they sure feel more like it."

"You can't possibly be blaming me for your unhappiness," Harry rubbed his scar, growing more and more irritated with his teenage son.

"And you can't possibly be arrogant enough to believe you're the only reason I'm unhappy! Open your bloody eyes dad, I haven't been happy since we first came to this platform when I was a kid. You've just been too blinded by your own work and the adoration of the wizarding world to notice your own son was miserable this whole time. Not everyone can be as popular as the great _'boy who lived'_ "

"You know _nothing_ about what I went through!" Harry finally snapped, his face reddening and veins bulging as he pointed a threatening finger at his son.

"--And you know nothing about what I'm _going_ through!" Albus fired back, planting his feet firmly on the ground. This time he was not backing down. He'd become fed up with his mistreatment and it was time his father knew that.

Harry opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the loud wail of the train's whistle, bringing their focus back to the platform around them.

 _So much for not attracting attention..._ Albus thought, noticing all the eyes upon them, intently watching the bickering Potters.

Harry took a step back, trying to calm himself, not wanting to cause any more commotion, "Albus, just get on the train. I really can't deal with you anymore." He said without realising the connotation of his words.

"You know what? I can't deal with you anymore either. In fact, I hope I never see you again." Albus spat, before turning around to push his trolley towards the nearest train car.

Harry's face fell, "Wait, Al," he called after him.

Albus ignored him.

"Albus, please," Harry's voice broke slightly as he watched his son walk away. His temper had gotten the best of him. He had messed up. Again.

"C'mon Scorp, let's go," Albus huffed, waving to his friend to follow as he trudged past.

"But--" Scorpius looked to Harry then back to Albus, his forehead wrinkled with worry.

The train whistled again. The final boarding call.

Scorpius sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do. Giving his father one last farewell, he boarded the train after Albus just before it began to pull away. 

The steam grew thicker as the wheels screeched into motion. The train chugged off, away from the platform.

Another conversation with his son turned shouting match turned misunderstanding. Harry really had a way with words sometimes. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, wishing things could've gone differently. Albus could just be so frustrating sometimes. He couldn't understand how a boy could look so much like him but yet could be so different from him. He desperately wanted to connect with his son but he just didn't know how.

Harry finally turned away, ready to go find his wife. Before he could get far, he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. He whipped around to see his old classmate.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" He snarled. He was not in any mood to speak to his former rival.

"Well, I saw what just happened there--we all did--and--" Draco began.

"That's really none of your business." Harry turned on his heel to walk away but Malfoy followed close behind.

"I'm not trying to impose, but I'm just concerned. I care about Albus and his well-being."

Harry stopped in his tracks, spinning around to face him, "You don't _need_ to care for him. He's _my_ son. Just because your wife died and you can't have more children doesn't mean you can take mine!" 

Draco stepped back, his mouth falling open, stunned by his comment.

Harry knew he had overstepped his boundaries. But it was too late now. He stormed off to where Ginny was waiting to usher him out, leaving Draco on the platform alone.


	7. The Hogwarts Express

The journey to Hogwarts always seemed to drag on--the trek from London to Scotland taking a good 8 hours.

In any other situation, Albus wouldn't have minded the long trip to the highlands. He enjoyed watching the passing landscapes--rolling fields of grazing sheep, cascading valleys, and far off mountains topped with snow. The rocking of the train would easily lull him to sleep and the time would fly by. But he could never enjoy the Hogwarts Express because he knew he wouldn't like his destination. Whether it was his house or Hogwarts, he dreaded his arrival. The train was just the eye of the hurricane, a brief, unsettling distraction from the inevitable.

Boarding in a bad mood didn't help much either. He slumped down in a seat, resting his head against the window, which rattled as the train chugged along. 

"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered to Scorpius, who took the seat across from him, his eyes glistening in concern after the heated argument that had taken place on the platform. 

For once, Albus was glad he was unpopular because it meant they could have a whole train compartment to themselves. He really was not in the right mood to be around other people at the moment--except for Scorpius but he was a notable exception. Scorpius had a peaceful presence that Albus could always count on. Scorpius wasn't the type of person to get into an argument easily, especially not with Albus. 

When they first started to become friends, Albus considered Scorpius' passivity as a weakness. As if not putting up a fight made him spineless. But Albus quickly realised that it was, in fact, not a flaw, but a trait that showed Scorpius' strength to withstand something that could greatly fire up someone like Albus. Scorpius would only step in when it was truly necessary, using logic and wisdom to avoid silly little arguments that would do no good. It helped create balance in their friendship--Albus would always be ready for a fight but Scorpius would refrain until need be. Together, Scorpius could help restrain Albus and Albus could help Scorpius speak out. 

"It's okay, we don't have to," Scorpius nodded in understanding, not wanting to push his still irritated friend. That was another thing about Scorpius--he didn't try to push Albus over the edge like his family seemed to enjoy. 

Albus let out a wearied sigh, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, "I just want to forget everything to do with my dad right now."

"He does care about you, you know. He was just worried." Scorpius said, treading carefully. He knew better than to get Albus started on his family troubles.

"Yeah, I know," Albus admitted, "I just wish he understood me better. He can just be so--" he searched for the right word, "--so _ugh!_ " He bunched up his face in disgust.

Scorpius slipped a smile, "I don't think parents are meant to understand us. That's what makes us teenagers."

"Yeah, I suppose." Albus sat back in his seat, watching the clouds roll over the blue sky. "It's just... I'm not like him. Or James. Or Lily. I'm not popular, I'm dreadful at magic, I can barely balance on a broom, and he just doesn't get that. He's the most famous wizard alive. He doesn't know what it's like to be a loser."

"I don't think you're a loser," Scorpius chimed in.

Albus' lip tweaked up, "Thanks, Scorp. You'd be about the only one."

"Someday everyone will realise how great you are. But until then, you've always got me." Scorpius gave him a cheesy smile, causing Albus to grin.

"You're all I got, so you better not leave me anytime soon."

"As long as you promise not to leave once everyone figures out how cool you are."

"Deal." Albus reached his arm out and Scorpius took it, giving it a firm shake.

\---

Time passed slowly as the train chugged through the countryside. Scorpius rambled off to Albus, telling Albus about his recent trip to his second home in Wales.

"--He just gets all sad and mopey and always reminds me how much mum loved it there. It's not enjoyable. Although, one day I went off on my own and took a muggle bus to--"

He was cut off suddenly by the compartment door sliding open, hitting the other side with a forceful bang.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Albus and Scorpius jumped, startled by the abrupt entrance.

"Rose?" Was all Albus managed to get out before she placed herself on the seat next to him and kept talking.

"What happened on the platform? I can't believe you actually ran away! We all presumed you had hidden away in your room like you usually do. I didn't realise you had left completely! How did you even do it? And why?" She spoke so fast, Albus wasn't sure when she had the time to take a breath.

"Uhh..." Albus wasn't sure how to respond, overwhelmed by her energy.

"Oh hi Scorpius!" She finally noticed him sitting on the other side of the compartment before looked back to Albus for answers.

"Well, I didn't _'run away'_ ," he tried to clarify, "I just went to Scorpius' for the night."

"You should have seen your parents. Your mum was on the phone with my dad practically all night. Your dad was freaked. He was so worried something had happened to you, especially with what he'd been dealing with at the Ministry. I don't think he got any sleep." 

Albus looked down to his shoelaces, suddenly feeling a sense of guilt. But he fought it, remembering the conversation with his dad before he made the choice to leave. It was his dad's own fault that he left and he had no right to be so upset.

Albus crossed his arms over his chest. "My dad barely pays attention to his disappointing Slytherin son in the first place. Leaving just gave him yet another reason to yell at me."

Rose frowned, "Seriously? I doubt Uncle Harry thinks that. He's so nice!"

"You're a Prefect and the Gryffindor quidditch chaser, of course he's nice to you. You're the child he wishes I was."

Rose didn't get the chance to respond as someone else appeared in the doorway.

"If it isn't the little teenage runaway. Quite the scrap you had with dad today." James smirked, leaning against the compartment frame.

Albus rolled his eyes, ignoring his older brother.

"You know," James continued to pester him, "we didn't even realise you were gone until mum went to see why you didn't come for tea. You never leave your room anyway, so no one even noticed a difference."

"James..." Rose shot him a glare telling him to shut up.

"Alright, alright. I'm going back to my compartment." He put his hands up in defeat before pulling something out of the pocket in his robes. "We missed you, little bro. Mum told me to give you this." He threw a bag to Albus, then turned to make his way back down the train.

"What is it?" Scorpius asked.

Albus dug out a sandwich, apple, and bag of crisps from the bag, "Lunch, I guess." He reached back in, pulling out a folded piece of paper. Opening it, a couple of galleons fell out. Albus rolled the coins around in his hand while he read the note scrawled out on the paper.

"Some money for the trolley. Have a great year! Love you, mum xx" Albus read aloud.

"That's nice of her," Rose said.

Albus stared at his mother's writing for a moment before looking up, his eyes wide, "I just realised something..."

"What?" Scorpius cocked his head.

"I never said goodbye."

\---

The rest of the train journey was quiet. Albus stared off out the window, watching the world pass by him, only getting up to change into his robes and purchase a package of jelly slugs from the trolley witch.

Rose remained in their compartment, much to Albus' surprise.

"Aren't you supposed to sit with the other Prefects?" Albus questioned her when she seemed to have settled in the seat next to him.

She shrugged, "I see them all the time. I'm sure I won't miss much."

She chatted occasionally to Scorpius and they tried to get Albus to join in, to no avail. He wasn't in the mood to talk. Finally, Rose dove into a book and Scorpius fell asleep against the window.

It was dark by the time the train came to a halt in Hogsmeade.

"I should find my friends. See you later then," Rose said, putting her book in her bag.

"Yeah, okay." Albus nodded and she ran off onto the platform.

Albus stood up, reaching over to wake Scorpius. His mouth had fallen open in his sleep and his hair was tousled from leaning on the window.

"Wake up, Scorp. We gotta get off." He gave his shoulder a shake.

With a loud snort, Scorpius' eyes shot open. Albus burst out laughing, the first time he'd had a proper laugh all day. With a blush, Scorpius was up on his feet, desperately trying to straighten out his hair.

"Oh c'mon, let's get this over with," Albus said, a grin still on his face. He threw his arm over Scorpius' shoulders to pull him along, which was quite difficult seeing how Scorpius was a good five inches taller than him.

They knew the drill by now. After getting off the train they made their way to the carriages that waited for the students. They climbed into one with a small group of nervous second years, who avoided eye contact with the older Slytherins. Only one Gryffindor dared to get a good look at the two sixth year boys, scanning them over with narrowed eyes.

"Oi," he nodded towards Albus, "Aren't you Harry Potter's son?"

Albus rolled his eyes, answering with a blunt "no" hoping to avoid talking about his father.

But the young Ravenclaw next to him wouldn't let it go, "Yes, you are! You're the Slytherin one that no one ever talks about!"

Albus grumbled something under his breath, staring off in the distance at the passing trees wishing the thestrals would move faster.

"Allen Potter!" A Gryffindor girl chimed in with confidence.

"Albus, actually." Scorpius corrected.

"Who are you?" The Ravenclaw asked, not too happy he'd interrupted them.

"Uh, I'm nobody." Scorpius stuttered. His surname still had a lasting reputation in the wizarding world.

"What kinda name is 'Nobody'?" The girl questioned.

"That's not his real name, you idiot." The Gryffindor rolled his eyes.

"Oh..."

For once, Albus was actually looking forward to getting to Hogwarts to escape the little second years. He wondered if he was that annoying at that age.

Finally, they reached the gates of the castle and they followed the large group of students through the grand castle doors. Students of all years chattered with excitement as the smell of the feast grew closer. Everyone seemed so happy to get back to Hogwarts.

Everyone except Albus, that was.

"Oi, Peewee Potter's back!" Albus heard someone shout with a cackle.

Albus clenched his fists, trying to avoid looking at whoever had shouted.

"Just ignore them," Scorpius whispered.

"Hey, Potter! How's your daddy? Oh, wait..." Someone else jeered, having overheard their argument.

Albus stopped in his tracks before the doors of the Great Hall.

He grabbed Scorpius's wrist, "Let's skip the feast."

"S-sorry?" Scorpius blinked in confusion.

"It's the same thing every year. We sit, the stupid hat sings, kids get sorted, we eat. Why should we sit through it for the sixth year in a row?"

"But—" Scorpius looked into the warmly lit Hall, the golden plates shining in anticipation for the feast, "what about dinner?"

Albus held up the bag his mum packed for him, "I still have this food. It will be okay."

Scorpius still looked hesitant. It was hard to say no to Albus and he couldn't disagree that the feast had become redundant. But he wasn't too fond of the idea of skiving off either.

"Please?" Albus pleaded, still holding onto his friend's wrist.

Scorpius glanced back at the Great Hall, which was almost packed full of students, then back to Albus.

"Okay," Scorpius agreed with a shaky breath.

Albus smiled, ducking off to the side of the emptying entrance hall. Pulling Scorpius behind him, they snuck down the corridors. A few ghosts passed by, giving the two boys suspicious looks, but turned away to mind their own business. Other than that, the corridors were empty, as the entire school gathered for the feast.

"Where are we going?" Scorpius asked.

"You'll see."

"I'm nervous. I've never skipped anything before..." Scorpius Malfoy held an almost perfect attendance record. The only exception was in the third year when he came down with a case of the Troll Fever. Madame Pomfrey had refused to let him go to lessons despite him begging her. He even tried to get up and sneak off, but in his feverish haze, he got too dizzy and fell over before he could even reach the doors.

"It's the feast, not a lesson. No one will even notice we're gone." Albus reassured him, continuing to lead him to a door. Pushing it open, they were greeted by the crisp autumn air. The day had been warm and sunny but as evening crept in and the sky faded to black, the warmth had been taken over by a cool breeze.

Albus pulled out his wand and muttered, " _Lumos_." It took a couple attempts but finally, the tip of his wand lit up, guiding them through the darkness over to a grassy spot by the lake. Albus finally dropped Scorpius' wrist, sitting down in the grass. He took a deep breath, this time enjoying it, taking in all the fresh air.

The breeze rustled the leaves in the Forbidden Forest, the lake water lapped the grassy banks, crickets chirped, and owls hooted as they crossed the clear sky, hunting for their prey. It was the only time of day when the Hogwarts grounds were completely void of students--which was just how Albus liked it. For once, he could enjoy the view of the school, the lights from the windows of the castle twinkling like the stars in the sky. It was a scene he'd grown up seeing only pictures from books and always dreamed about seeing in person. He wished it was something he could enjoy rather than feel such hatred for. But it wasn't exactly Hogwarts itself that he despised so much rather than the experience himself. Perhaps if he'd made more friends or was good at magic, he would have grown to love the place.

Albus flopped back in the grass, staring up at the stars, "Isn't this so much better than the noisy feast?"

"Yeah, I suppose it is." Scorpius was starting to ease up as he sat cross-legged in the grass, picking at clovers.

Albus propped himself up on his elbows, dumping the contents of the bag his mum packed on the ground.

"Split the sandwich?" He offered, holding up the triangular box that his mum had purchased from Waitrose. She never was much of a cook. That was his father's duty.

"Sure, what kind?" Scorpius asked, already munching on some salt and vinegar crisps.

Albus read the box, "Ham and cheese." He tossed him the box, containing the other half.

"Classic."

They lost track of time as the picnicked under the stars. They caught each other up on the summer, filling the gaps in between their letters. After they finished eating, they laid down and looked for constellations in the sky. Scorpius knew them all, of course. Albus could only just make out Orion's Belt.

Albus glanced over at Scorpius, the light from his wand lighting up the profile of his face. His silver eyes traced the stars, pointing them out and naming them for Albus. He was at peace, no longer scared about skipping the feast. He took relaxed breaths as he leaned back, using his arms to prop himself up. As he talked, he smiled, a dimple peeking out with every grin.

Scorpius looked over and noticed Albus was no longer paying attention to his astronomy talk, "Sorry, I'm boring you." His eyes met Albus' as he bit his lip, slightly embarrassed by his own nerdiness.

He shook his head, "Not at all." Albus smiled. He enjoyed hearing Scorpius go on about something that fascinated him.

Scorpius smiled back.

"Hey! Who's out there?" A gruff voice called out through the darkness.

Scorpius jumped, bolting straight up, his eyes wide with fear— both from the potential danger and risk of getting in trouble. Albus grabbed his wand from where it had been lying on the ground and turned around to face whoever was drawing near.

A massive shadow approached them. Scorpius looked to Albus for what to do. But Albus lowered his wand, no longer afraid as he realised who had spotted them.

He stood up speaking to the looming shadow, "Its okay Hagrid, it's just us."

The half-giant came into the light, looking relieved, "Blimey, Albus. Yeh best be glad it was only me. Yeh wouldn' wan' Filch catchin' yeh out at this hour."

Scorpius rushed forward apologetically, "We're so sorry. It will never happen again. I promise!"

"Oh cut yer whining, Malfoy. Yeh ain't in trouble. What're yeh doin' out 'ere in the firs' place?" Hagrid questioned.

"Didn't feel like going to the feast," Albus told him, honestly, seeing no reason to lie to Hagrid.

Hagrid furrowed his bushy brows, but shrugged it off, "Alrigh' well yeh both should be getting back now before anyone notices yer missin'. Off with yeh now." He waved them off in the direction of the castle.

Albus and Scorpius rushed to clean up the rubbish from their dinner before Albus used his glowing want to guide them back to the castle.

The stepped back into the warmth of the solid castle walls, and Albus doused the light from his wand and Scorpius let out a sigh of relief.

"Bloody hell, we could have gotten in real trouble there!"

Albus chuckled, "It was just Hagrid, he'd never get us in trouble."

Scorpius turned to look at Albus with an excited gleam in his eyes, "It was kinda fun though, wasn't it? Sneaking out?"

He grinned at his friend's uncharacteristic enthusiasm for rebellion, "Yeah, yeah it was."


	8. The Daily Prophet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just changed my username! I was originally buckybarnes_andnoble but it was a bit long so I decided to clean it up a bit. I also wanted to make it easier to find me on other platforms such as Wattpad and Tumblr, so I made all my usernames match. I am now vias_words! 
> 
> Just wanted to make that announcement in case of confusion. Enjoy the chapter!

Harry hated the first of September. It used to be his favourite day of the year. The day he finally got to leave the Dursley's for Hogwarts, his real home. 

But now that he was grown and had his own children, the day just upset him.

He and Ginny arrived home to a silent, empty house, which would have been a relief to most parents, but not to them. The house would remain empty for months on end. It wasn't until Christmas that their family would be one again.

Gone was the energy of their home. And he missed it. He missed the sound of pattering footsteps as the kids ran around. The laughter as they played games and made forts in the lounge. The toys that scattered the house from a long day of fun. He even missed the occasional tears of the children, when they'd run to him for comfort. But all that had slowly come to an end once his eldest had reached age eleven.

The kids began to grow apart, both mentally and physically. They went off to school and gained their own independence. They lived apart from one another. They no longer relied on their parents. James made his own friends at school, becoming rather popular among his year. Lily took up new hobbies that often occupied all her time. And Albus...

"I really messed up today, didn't I?" Harry sighed, rubbing his temples as he sunk deeper into the sofa.

Ginny sat next to him, her head resting on his shoulder, "Yeah, you did." She said, not trying to sugarcoat it.

"He's just so stubborn. Arguing with him is just so frustrating." He complained.

Ginny sat up to face her husband, "I don't think that Albus is the only problem here." She had always been the type of person to tell it as it was. While bothersome at times, it was ultimately helpful for Harry to hear things straight. His childhood had been filled with lies for his own good, but the only good it did was make things more confusing and frustrating to understand. He needed the truth, not some fibs to make him feel better, and Ginny was happy to give it to him.

"What do you mean?"

She sighed, "Well, you do tend to have a short temper. With Al, especially."

"He just knows exactly how to get on my nerves!" Harry tried to justify but he knew she was right. He hardly ever lost his temper with James or Lily in the way he did with Albus. In fact, he hardly fought with them at all. Albus, on the other hand, seemed to love making him sore and would do just about anything to provoke him.

Ginny took Harry's hands, toying with the gold band around his left ring finger, "Do you remember your fifth year, Harry?"

"Of course, what about it?"

"I spent a lot of time with you that year, and I noticed there was something different about you. You seemed more..." she searched for the right word, " _combative_. You always talked back to family and friends. You could be pushy and always tried to take matters in your own hands. Matters that were far greater than you could handle alone. You just didn't seem as happy as I knew you to be." She told him.

"Well, I was dealing with all that had happened during the Triwizard Tournament the previous year, of course I was a little on edge." He explained. Of all his years at Hogwarts, he tried to forget the events of his fourth year the most. He still could not think of Cedric without feeling the guilt flood his veins. He spent the whole next year dealing with the trauma. Even now, he wished there was something he could have done to prevented the death of the innocent boy.

"Don't you think that Al could be going through the same sort of phase? He is of that age."

At first, Harry was surprised to hear Ginny say that, "Al has had nothing to worry about! He didn't have to deal with Voldemort's return or dementor attacks. He didn't have to see his friend die before his very eyes."

Ginny bowed her head, knowing Harry was struggling to see her point. His childhood had been very different to those of his children--or those of any average child. He couldn't always connect to their issues, many of them seeming mundane compared to the trials of his boyhood. 

"I know that his life is much different than yours was. But you know he is struggling in school. He doesn't have many friends, like James or Lily. And I worry that he is teased by the other students. He has a lot to live up to, you know? It may not be the same kind of troubles you had at his age, but for him, they are his whole life. He has a right to be upset." Ginny tried to put it in the best way she could. Even she struggled to understand Albus sometimes, as he didn't talk about his problems often. But as his mother, she knew that there was something deeper that was bothering him.

Harry took a deep breath, trying to put himself in his son's shoes, "I suppose you're right."

Ginny snuggled up next to him, his hands still intertwined with hers, "He just needs to know you care for him. You may not understand what he's going through, but just try to. And take it easy on him."

He nodded, "I will."

"Eventually, he will grow up and out of this moody teen phase. But he needs to know that you are there for him. That you support him."

"I think I will write him a letter. To apologise." Harry said.

Ginny smiled, "I think that's a great idea." She squeezed his hands.

"Thank you," he said, "Honestly, what would I do without you?" He took her cheek in his hand, moving in to kiss her.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

\---

The first day of lessons was always one of Albus' most dreaded days; It meant there was still a whole year ahead of him that he had yet to bare through. He had barely slept the night before, questions swarming his mind. Where would he sit? Who would he be next to? Would Scorpius be in all his lessons? Would he even make it through the whole year?

Before he knew it, the sun rose and cyan light was cast through the lake filtered windows. The other boys in his dormitory began to stir, awakening to a new year filled with potential. All Albus saw was the potential to lose his mind. Reluctantly, he got up, dressed in his robes, and joined Scorpius for breakfast in the Great Hall.

"That's all you're having?" Scorpius asked, staring at Albus' single piece of buttered toast. His own plate was piled high with bacon, toast, sausage, and potatoes.

"I'm not really hungry," Albus told him, taking measly bites of his toast, his stomach churning with anxiety. 

Scorpius looked as if he wanted to say more, but shut his mouth, focusing on his own breakfast.

Halfway through the morning meal, owls swooped in, their wide eyes scanning the room for their target. Letters and parcels began to rain down in front of the students. Despite only being at Hogwarts for one evening, many students received mail from their concerned parents, wanting to know if they made it there alright, to wish them luck in classes, or to deliver packages with items that were forgotten at home. It was common for first years to receive letters from their parents asking where they had been sorted or sending them love and wishing them well. For the older students, getting a letter on the first day was often seen as mortifying. Students would sneak the letters into their robes, hoping for no one to see. Others blushed bright red as an owl dropped in front of them to give them their mail. Although there was a stigma surrounding it, most of the students appreciated the mail from their parents but were forced to act annoyed to prevent ridicule. 

Albus eyed the swarm of birds, a faint flicker of hope that he might see his own family owl. Perhaps his father would send him an apology, begging him to forgive him for their fight on the train. But in the swarm of birds, not a single one looked familiar or gave Albus a second glance. 

He watched the golden-haired fifth-year across from him tear open a package from her grandparents," "Cauldron cakes! My favourite." She beamed, pulling out the letter to read. She had no shame in accepting the mail, which was brave, especially at the table of Slytherins. For that, Albus had to give her some respect. 

Scorpius, too, looked up to the enchanted ceiling, searching for his great barn owl. Albus knew what he was hoping for. His mum had sent his sweets and care packages every year on the first day of term before her passing. Despite knowing better, Scorpius always kept an eye out for a parcel that would never arrive.

"What lesson have you got first?" Albus asked, trying to distract his friend from the incoming mail.

"Um..." he had to recall his timetable, "Care for magical creatures, I believe. You?"

Albus frowned, "History of magic."

"Oh..." Scorpius stared down at his plate, picking at his bacon. "At least it's a class you _sort of_ enjoy, right?" He tried to look at the bright side.

Albus huffed, leaning his face against the palm of his hand, "Well it doesn't involve a wand, so that helps."

"Oi!" Someone shouted out. Everyone within earshot turned to look. Albus looked over to see Matthias MacPherson, a buff brunet and the fittest boy in their year. All the girls in his year--perhaps even the school--seemed to fancy the Slytherin beater. He was tall with a sharp jawline and deep-set eyes--all the features that would make a teenage girl go crazy. Albus couldn't see what all the fuss was about; he didn't think Matthias was _that_ fit. 

Matthias stood up on the bench, a newspaper rolled up in his hand as if about to make a proclamation. His eyes locked on Albus, whose heart started to pound against his chest. Quickly, Albus pulled his eyes away to concentrate on a very interesting glass of juice. Some part of him hoped that he couldn't see Matthias, then Matthias couldn't see him. But of course, his childish theory was quickly disproven.

"Look who made it into the Daily Prophet?" He boomed in his deep Scottish accent, "If it isn't our own Peewee Potter!"

Albus' head shot up, his heart freezing for a moment. He and Scorpius exchanged a look of alarm. 

Matthias unrolled the newspaper to show almost a full page spread. All eyes were drawn to the headline, printed in stiff bold letters.

NOT-SO-PERFECT POTTERS? : _HARRY POTTER FIGHTS WITH SLYTHERIN SON ON TRAIN PLATFORM_

Everyone's heads turned to Albus. Many of them snickered and sneered at him. Others flipped through their own copies of the paper to find the story. Kids from other tables crowded around to read it over their shoulders.

"Awe poor Potter's got daddy issues," a Ravenclaw girl jeered.

A Hufflepuff shook his head in disapproval, "Have more respect, man. Your father saved the world!"

Matthias smirked, "What secrets _are_ you hiding, Potter?"

"Probably ran away to be with that little Death Eater _boyfriend_ of his," A Slytherin in the year above took a jab at Scorpius.

Albus jumped up, snatching the newspaper from Matthias, who only laughed in response: He got the reaction he desired.

Albus looked down to see a large picture of him and his father arguing on the platform. He stood with his feet planted in a wide stance, facing off with his father. Their mouths moved in a wordless loop, that was clearly full of passion and anger. His father leaned forward with a menacing look, his arms moving wildly as he spoke-- _shouted_ \--at Albus. The ugly scene was followed by an article explaining the event. 

Amidst the teasing, Scorpius stood, leaving his breakfast and grabbing Albus by the arm, "Let's go." He began to pull Albus away from the students and out of the Great Hall.

He read the article as Scorpius pulled him along into the corridor.

_'Is there trouble brewing in Potter Paradise? Father and son publicly battle it out on the train platform before leaving for Hogwarts._

_Albus Potter, the middle child and only Potter to ever be sorted into Slytherin, appeared on the platform not accompanied by his family. When spotted by his father, the Great Harry Potter himself, an argument broke out between them, attracting attention from the many onlookers. Witnesses overheard that the young Albus Potter (now 16) had run away from home the previous night, much to the disapproval of his father. The teen claimed to be unhappy, placing the blame on Harry Potter, and seeking comfort from the Malfoy family. Harry fought back against his son, using his own troubled past as the justification for the mistreatment of his son, refusing to see the boy's struggles._

_The intense fight ended with Albus being sent off by his father, telling him that he "really can't deal with [Albus] anymore". Albus agreed, saying that he hoped he never saw his father again: a strong statement for a child to make. He proceeded to board the train with his close friend, Scorpius Malfoy, grandson of famous former Death Eaters, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. The resolution to their argument is still unknown. A harsh finale to a cruel spectacle. Witnesses claim to be "shocked" and "horrified."_

_One parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Prophet reporters that she "couldn't fathom sending her child off in such a way."_

_"Harry Potter should be ashamed," Another father claimed after seeing the shocking behaviour of the famous family._

_What caused the middle Potter to leave home? Could the impressionable teen be heading down a path of dark arts against his father? Is Harry Potter really as great a man as he claims to be? What secrets are the Potter family hiding?'_

Hot tears welled in Albus' eyes. He tried blinking them away, but more took their place. He couldn't understand the muddled emotion he was feeling. Redding, his cheeks and ears heated up. His heart pounded against his rib cage. His stomach twisted into knots. Every breath felt thin and he struggled to take in air. The world started to feel hazy. He felt like he was disconnecting from reality. He was vaguely aware of his legs moving to follow Scorpius into an empty classroom. Scorpius may have said something too, but all Albus could hear was the thunder of his heart and every wheezing breath.

Scorpius pulled a chair out from a table, helping Albus to sit down. He kneeled down in front of him, snatching the newspaper from his hands, throwing it behind him.

Scorpius placed a hand on Albus' knee, looming him straight in the eye, "Calm down. You're okay, you're okay." His reassuring voice broke through to Albus. "It's just me and you now. Just breath."

It was a struggle at first, his breathing sharp and shallow, but slowly he got into a more steady rhythm.

_1-2-3 in_  
3-2-1 out  
1-2-3 in  
3-2-1 out 

Gradually, the world started to come back into focus. Albus' heart started to beat at a more normal pace and his hands stopped shaking. He became aware of the feeling of Scorpius' hand resting firmly on his knee to keep him grounded.

"Read it," Albus finally managed to croak out, pointing to the paper strewn about behind him.

Scorpius bit his lip, "It's a load of rubbish, I'm sure." He glanced back but didn't move from his place.

Albus shook his head, "Please, just read it," he insisted. 

With a sigh, Scorpius grabbed the article and scanned it over with a frown.

"Well," Scorpius finished with a huff, "The Daily Prophet has really gone downhill if they call this news..."

"Everyone's gonna think I'm the worst son ever. Or that I'm evil just because I'm in Slytherin." Albus swallowed the lump in his throat, trying not to get worked up again. "I get made fun of enough on my own. I don't need some stupid article to tell the rest of the world how horrible I am."

"It really doesn't paint you or your father in a good light. Who does this..." Scorpius glanced down to read the name of the journalist who wrote the article, "this _Lorelei Lacero_ , think she is?"

"Lorelei Lacero?"

A new voice made the boys jump. They looked over to the doorway to see Rose stepping in the room, her hands placed firmly on her hips.

"She's only the fattest lier in practically all of wizarding world history," Rose told them, making a face as though she had bitten into a putrid lemon. She saw their surprised looks, "Sorry for intruding. I saw what happened in the Great Hall. I wanted to check on you."

"It's fine." Albus said, not really caring that she'd followed them but wanting to know more, "How do you know who this woman is?"

Rose crossed her arms, obviously it was a bitter subject, "She wrote a horrid article on my mother. Complete rubbish, the lot of it. Wrote that my mum might be having an affair with your father. Full of insult and lies. Just wants the attention, I presume."

Albus blinked, "How come I didn't hear about this?"

Rose shrugged, "Perhaps your dad didn't want you to? Everyone knows it wasn't true. At least anyone with half a brain. She seems to enjoy spreading filth about our families. I suppose that how she makes all her money."

Albus furrowed his brow. He had never heard of anyone writing anything bad about his father. All he had ever been told about was praise. It wasn't often that he read the paper and he hardly knew was it contained. But the number of books he'd seen about his father, and the many photoshoots he'd been dragged along to made it seem as though the world couldn't get enough of Harry Potter, the hero of the wizarding world. He had always assumed that he was the only one who ever saw the bad side of his father.

"She's ten times worse than Rita Skeeter ever was. At least Rita didn't make up complete lies. A real insult to journalism, the both of them," Rose continued.

"Rita Skeeter?" Albus questioned.

"Bloody hell, Al. Please don't tell me you don't know who Rita Skeeter is." She shook her head in disbelief. "Don't you read anything?" She could judge from Albus' look of utter confusion that he really had no idea.

"She wrote for the Prophet, right? And some books too," Scorpius filled in, "Known for exaggerating."

"To put it lightly," Rose started, "But she also wrote some pretty nasty things about your father, Al. Back in his fourth year. A real nuisance. He was only fourteen and she was trying to stir up rumours and gossip. Lorelei Lacero seems to be eager to continue that legacy. Nothing sells more papers than a juicy Potter story, I suppose."

Albus was taken aback, "My father never mentioned any of that." He always assumed that the press loved his father, just like everybody else.

"Yeah, well now you know. You aren't the only Potter to have dirt published about him in the Prophet. Comes with the name, I suppose," She shrugged.

"Don't listen to what one crazy reporter has to say. She knows nothing about you." Scorpius tried to brush everything off. "She doesn't know how much of an amazing person you truly are. Anyone who truly knows you can see that." He gave his friend an encouraging smile. 

"Yeah!" Rose agreed, "And this whole thing will blow over sooner than you know it. You'll see!"

Albus took a deep breath. He wished he could forget it as easily as his friends wanted him to, but it lingered in his thoughts. He could still hear the laughter from his fellow students ringing in his ears. It wouldn't go away. It never really did, no matter how hard he tried. Each year, he vowed he'd be better but yet he just kept making mistakes. Sometimes it felt as though he couldn't get anything right. Even if he did, his classmates would still find something to tease him about. 

But he put on a brave face, hoping his friends would believe it well enough that they could move on from the subject, "Yeah, alright. We should probably go before we're late on our first day."

Scorpius and Rose didn't argue, both eager to learn. And for once, Albus actually looked forward to his lessons if it meant getting his mind off things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is unrelated to the story but none of my friends like Harry Potter so I need to tell people haha. So I've always identified as a Gryffindor, ever since I was a kid. Probably partially due to the fact that I was like 8 when I started reading Harry Potter, so being in the house of the main characters seemed the coolest but as I got older I identified with the traits much more, especially as I'm very adventurous and love to travel. I've always wondered if that was truly my house, just because I feel like I could really fit into all of the houses except maybe Hufflepuff (great house, just doesn't suit me). I always just stuck with Gryffindor because it made sense. But then last night I decided to take the Pottermore quiz for the first time in years, hoping to confirm my Gryffindor status, but I got Slytherin. So now I'm like having an identity crisis because I can see myself there too ?? But I've always said I'm a Gryffindor but now I'm wondering if I really am or if I just always overlooked the Slytherin traits in favour of the more popular house? 
> 
> Just had to rant about that because I'm honestly still not sure where I fit in. It makes it a real struggle when buying merch. If only hybrid houses existed, then I'd be a Slytherdor haha! 
> 
> Maybe some of you can relate to my house crisis. I guess that's the issue when you try to place all people into four personality types...
> 
> Thoughts? Opinions? Let me know! Feel free to message me on tumblr if you want to chat: vias-words.tumblr.com


	9. Potions

Albus was seven years old when he first came home from primary school crying. The young boy stepped in the door, with tears falling down his rosy cheeks. He dropped his bag and coat on the ground, running into his father's arms, seeking his comfort and warmth. 

"Some kids at school made fun of me," Albus said through heavy sniffles and gasping breaths.

"Made fun of you?" A wave of shock and anger washed over Harry, "Why would they make fun of you?" He couldn't bear the thought of someone hurting his child, physically or emotionally. It sickened him. His kids were so small and innocent, their pain was his pain. He'd do just about anything to keep his kids safe, even if it meant giving his own life.

"They said my n-name is weird."

Harry frowned. As much as he hated the thought, he knew well enough that a scenario like this would happen eventually. After he and Ginny decided to send the kids to muggle primary school instead of tutoring them at home, he expected that Albus would be questioned about his unique name. Wizards understood the Al' legacy, but muggles? Muggles had no idea. To them, Al was just some kid with a funny name.

"Come sit," Harry led his son to the dining table. He went to the kitchen to grab some biscuits and placed them in front of Albus as he took a seat across from him. Despite his tears, the young boy gladly snatched one up. 

"Albus Severus Potter," Harry began, emphasizing each name individually. "it's a very special name. I chose it because it holds a great amount of meaning to me. Do you know who you were named after?"

Albus shrugged, biscuit crumbs falling down his chin. He used the back of his hand to wipe his tear-stained cheeks.

"Albus Dumbledore, the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen--perhaps even the greatest wizard in history."

"The old guy? I've seen him on chocolate frog cards." Albus perked up slightly, knowing his name must have been important if he shared it with someone famous enough to be on a chocolate frog card.

Harry grinned, "Exactly. He helped me a lot when I was in school. Taught me things. Believed in me. Trusted me. And for that, I named you after him. Without his guidance, I don't know if we could have defeated Voldemort in the way we did."

Albus followed every word, nibbling on biscuits but his wide eyes focused on Harry.

"Severus Snape. He was quite the man, to say the least," Harry chuckled under his breath. "I didn't always like him. He was my teacher, you know, the potions master. I always disliked potions and was never all that good at it. I thought Snape hated me, and, perhaps, he did to some degree. But it wasn't until he was killed by Voldemort that I realised Snape had always protected me. And to honour that, I gave you his name." Harry looked across the table at his son.

Albus was always going to be a baby in Harry's eyes. It seemed like hardly any time had passed since he was spending long sleepless nights up in the nursery, cradling the dark haired boy. How had seven years passed already? Albus was no longer an infant but now almost a spitting image of his father at that age. Same touseled hair, thin frame, and heart-shaped face. The only difference seemed to be the lack of a lightning scar--the sign of a childhood less troubled than Harry's own.

"You were named after two great and powerful wizards and the muggle kids at school don't understand that. But your name is something to be proud of. So next time they make fun of you, just hold your head high and remember that I told you, okay?" Harry finished, reaching out to squeeze his son's crumb covered hands.

Sometimes Harry wondered if the name he had chosen would put too much of a burden upon the child. He was such a small boy and it seemed like such a great weight to place upon someone so small who knew nothing yet of the world and its dangers. 

Albus would soon learn the realities of growing up as a Potter. He'd start to hear the rubbish rumours spread about his father. He'd experience the second-hand fame, with hoards of reporters and photographers hounding him for life details. Attention was thrust upon anyone with any relation to the Potters, the press trying to get any sliver of information from anyone who crossed their path. It was never easy-- the words"easy" and "Potter" never seemed to go together.

But Harry could already tell that Albus was a strong boy. Someone who never took his older brother's teasing to heart. Someone who fiercely protected his little sister. Harry firmly believed that he was capable of handling what life threw at him.

While growing up with the Dursleys had placed Harry in an entirely different situation than his son, Harry could see himself in Albus. Not just in the way he looked but in the way he stood his ground and refused to give up. When the young boy set his mind on something, he was determined to carry through with it and would not let anyone else knock him down.

Albus nodded at his father, a smile spreading across his lips, "Okay, I will." Even though his cheeks were still stained with tears, his eyes no longer glimmered with sadness, but instead with pride.

Harry smiled back, "Good," he started to stand up, but Al grabbed his hand.

"Wait!" He said, "I want you to tell me more!"

Harry tilted his head, "More?"

"More stories. About those teachers." Albus looked up at him, his green eyes were a mirror image to Harry's: Jade green rimmed in golden brown. 

_'You have your mother's eyes'_

Harry nodded, "Of, course."

Albus kicked his feet in excitement as Harry sat back down.

"Now," Harry took a deep breath before launching into his story, "It all started the day I was sorted and I noticed a professor staring out at me..."

\---

Potions was the one lesson Albus could _almost_ look forward to.

Somehow, despite being rubbish at practically all other forms of magic, potions were the one thing he could actually get right. He could rely on a recipe rather than his own magical abilities. As long as he followed everything correctly, recipes were always reliable, unlike his unpredictable wand work. 

For the first time, he was able to set aside the whole Daily Prophet fiasco from the day before and focus on his first Potions lesson of the year.

Albus and Scorpius walked side-by-side through the dungeon corridors, by which they were familiar with by now. Many students complained about having lessons in the dungeons, moaning about it being too stuffy, cold, or just eerie. But the Slytherins were used to it, no longer bothered by the underground atmosphere. Of course, the climate of the dungeons didn't help the stereotype of all Slytherins being dark or dangerous.

But the potions classroom was different. Despite the grim stone walls and lack of natural light, the potion's master had decorated it to feel warm and inviting. Sparkling crystals hung from the ceiling. Jars of ingredients were always kept polished and neatly arranged on the shelves. Colourful draperies adorned the walls. Various plants, of all shapes, sizes, and species, sprouted in almost every corner, nestled in bright painted pots. The room even had its own scent. It was subtle but sweet, almost like vanilla custard, just strong enough to cover up putrid odours of formaldehyde and the other jarred ingredients. 

Even waiting outside the door, the sweet scent carried over to the students. As soon as it hit them, memories of potions lessons came flooding back to them. Albus waited eagerly for a new year of potions to begin, his brain trying to recall what he'd learned the previous years. 

Separating from her group of red-adorned friends, Rose approached the boys, her nose wrinkling in distaste as she looked towards the potions' classroom door, "I can't stand Professor Amatori," she told them bluntly with her arms crossed. 

"Why? She's nice!" Scorpius was not as interested in potions as Albus, but like every other school subject, he still excelled and continued onto the advanced levels. 

"She's way too..." Rose made a swaying gesture with her hands, as if she were conduction a choir, trying to think of the right word to describe her, "...dippy." She finally decided upon.

"I like her. I think she's brilliant." Albus stated. He could see where his cousin was coming from, though. Professor Amatori did have a bit of a hippie vibe as if she was always floating on a cloud, but she was also a potions genius. She was known all throughout the world as one of the most successful young witches of their time. Despite her world renown name, she still insisted on teaching at Hogwarts rather than working as a potioneer. Her passion for the subject and teaching really showed in all her lessons. Albus actually understood what she taught and she was always there to encourage him.

"Of course you would," Rose rolled her eyes, "you probably just think she's fit, like all the other boys."

"W-what? No!" Albus was taken aback. Sure, he had heard some of the other boys in the common room saying that they found the young professor attractive, but he only ever saw her as a mentor. She may be young but she was still a professor! 

Before Rose could say anything more, the door swung open with a large gust of sweet-scented air.

Dressed head-to-toe in pastel pink, Professor Amatori appeared in front of them, "Welcome students!" She greeted them with a beaming smile in her Northern Welsh accent, "Come in, come in!" She spun around, the lightweight fabric her long robes flowing behind her. The waiting Gryffindor and Slytherin students filed in behind her.

They began to take their seats. Rose split away, taking her place back with her Gryffindor friends. 

Scorpius made his way to their usual table in the back of the room, Albus following behind him. It was where they first sat together back in their first potions class when they were eleven. While it was just like any old table in the classroom, it held more significance to them; It was where they started to bond and first became friends. And it was the one place in the school where Albus felt truly confident. 

Albus had almost reached their table when he felt a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to see Magnolia Richelieu, a fellow Slytherin, already sat at the table in front of theirs.

"Albus! Hi!" She greeted him with her perfectly white teeth. They were almost too perfect as if they had been cut straight out of a Colgate toothpaste advert.

"Uh, hi?" Albus furrowed his brow in confusion. Magnolia had never once paid him any attention--save for when her group of Slytherin friends gathered around to take their turns picking on him. But never had she actually talked to him directly. 

"How was your summer?" She asked as if they were just two friends catching up after the holiday. 

"Fine, thanks." He said with little intonation. He glanced over to Scorpius, who showed the same surprised expression, his wide eyes flickering between the two. His eyes met Albus' and Albus gave him a subtle shrug.

Magnolia didn't notice this exchange and continued to talk to him, "Great! So, I was wondering--excuse me if this is a little forward--but I was wondering," she formed the words slowly, slightly sing-songy, "if you would be my potions partner this year?" She giggled, brushing a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear.

"Oh!" Albus couldn't hide his surprise. He wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't want to be rude, but he didn't really want to say yes, either. Any other boy in their year would jump at the chance to be Magnolia's partner. 

"But what about Scorpius?" He finally managed to blurt out.

Magnolia turned around to Scorpius, "Do you mind if I steal your dear friend Albus away from you this year?" She asked sweetly with a flutter of her eyelashes.

Albus stared at him, trying to send telepathic messages to say no.

But Scorpius didn't get it, his eyes gaping at Magnolia, shocked that she would even give him a second glance, "Oh! Erm, well I suppose that's okay. Righty-o. Yep. Just don't kidnap him! Like, steal him." He cringed at the squeakiness of his voice before scolding himself under his breath, "Oh, bloody hell, Scorpius, you utter muppet..."

Albus shot him a glare, which this time he noticed, responding with a conflicted shrug. His pale cheeks had flushed bright red and he slumped lower in his seat. 

"Fantastic!" Magnolia spun back around, patting the stool next to her. Reluctantly, Albus took it, returning Magnolia's bright smile with one of unease. He then turned to face front, trying to process what had just taken place. Magnolia wanted to be his partner? Had she forgotten that he was the most hated Slytherin in the school? 

From across the room, Albus caught Rose's eye. She raised an eyebrow at him, her mouth opened in astonishment as if he'd personally betrayed her. 

Albus mouthed, _'I don't know!'_ back to her, turning out his palms.

Her eyes flickered to the side as she made a quick decision. She picked up all her supplies and marched to the back of the room, dropping them on the table next to Scorpius. He jumped, looking at her with bulging eyes, as she sat down with her chin held high.

Magnolia turned, flashing Rose a smile. Rose smiled back, her teeth clenched and eyes emotionless. Her lips fell into a frown and she rolled her eyes in disgust as soon as the Slytherin girl turned away. 

"Alright, sixth years!" Professor Amatori's airy voice brought their attention to the front of the class, where she stood with her arms spread wide as if she was awaiting applause. "It's lovely to see you all again. Now that you're all settled, let's jump right in! We will start with a refresher. Something easy to get you back in the swing of things." She drifted over to her desk, tapping a textbook with her wand. It flew open, finding the right page.

"A forgetfulness potion," she announced, "I expect you'll remember this from first year! Very simple. I have laid out the ingredients for you in the front, you just need to know the quantities and remember the brewing directions. Let's hope you are feeling _forgetful!_ " She winked with an over-exaggerated smile.

No one laughed.

She didn't seem to be bothered and continued, "Ready? Steady? Go!" She flipped over an ornate gold hourglass that sat on her desk and sparkling purple sand began to trickle down to the bottom.

"I will get the ingredients!" Magnolia offered enthusiastically, jumping up from her seat.

As soon as she left, Rose took the opportunity to berate Albus, "What the hell, Al! _Magnolia Richelieu?_ Are you mental?" She whispered harshly, leaning her body over the table to get closer to him.

Albus shook his head, "I didn't want to be her partner! She asked me! And this twit allowed it!" He motioned to Scorpius. By no means was this Ablus' own fault. He'd barely been able to get a word in, let alone refuse her offer. He'd much rather be working with Scorpius. 

"I don't really see what the issue is," Scorpius said in his defence, overwhelmed by everything that had just taken place, "She seems nice and really wanted to work with you."

"She's the worst!" Rose said in objection. "How can anyone be _that cheerful_? I don't like her."

"Well you also don't like Professor Amatori, who is a perfectly lovely person," Scorpius countered.

Rose didn't get the chance to quip back, as Magnolia skipped back over, her arms filled with ingredients. Albus turned back around to face his cauldron.

"I wasn't sure how much, so I just got a lot." She told him, dropping everything down before him.

"Um, alright." He said, staring down at the pile of valerian springs, mistletoe berries rolling all over. "Well, do you remember the first step?"

She let out a nervous giggle, "Uhh not really."

Albus sighed, really wishing he hadn't been placed in the situation, "Do you remember _any_ of the steps?" He asked with slight irritation. 

She shook her head with a sheepish smile. Albus wondered how she ever managed to make it in advanced potions. How she could have gotten an E on her O.W.L. Was beyond him. 

"Okay then," He said with a bit of a huff, wishing he was back with Scorpius, "I guess I'll be making this myself."

\---

The final grain of purple sand fell to the bottom of the hourglass in Professor Amatori's hand, "Time's up, my lovelies!" She smiled, holding up the hourglass for all to see.

Some students murmured in annoyance, not quite happy with their final results. Others threw in final ingredients in a crazed final rush to try and complete their potions. 

Albus had finished with time to spare, the amber liquid gleaming in the cauldron, emitting a dusty floral scent, which reminded Albus of an old lady's perfume. He was proud of his result, fairly confident in his potion abilities, even without help from a partner--and Magnolia hadn't been much use. If the class had been called "Sit and Look Pretty," she would have gotten an O. She hadn't tried to participate much, opting instead to let Albus do the work as she chatted about her summer trips to her second home in southern France. Albus had done his best to ignore her and focus on the potion. 

He turned around to see how Scorpius and Rose had fared. Throughout the lesson, he had heard them bickering over their cauldron, both wanting to take charge.

"No Rose, it's only two sprigs!"

"Well your clumsy hands added an extra drop of River Lethe water, so now we have to adjust the whole batch!"

Despite their arguments, they ended up with a similar looking potion, bubbling in the cauldron. Rose sat straight with a confident smirk, awaiting the Professor's approval. 

Scorpius looked frazzled, his hair askew from raking his hands through it, a tick he often had when he was stressed. He caught Albus' eyes, giving him a pleading look, and he could tell that he regretted letting Albus partner with someone else.

Albus gave him a sympathetic smile, knowing how overwhelming it could be working with Rose. Even as children, she would dominate every game they'd play together, creating all her own rules and getting upset when she'd lose. She was very much a Gryffindor, wanting to take charge in all her endeavours. 

Professor Amatori drifted down the rows of tables, inspecting each cauldron. The student's fidgeted while they waited, hoping to start the year out right. 

"--Not bad, maybe could have boiled a little longer--"

"--I don't believe it was supposed to turn green. One too many mistletoe berries--"

"--Er, why does yours seem to be growling, Mr Moore? I'm not even sure what you did to get that result--"

Finally, she reached Albus, her eyes sparkling when she saw him. Her smile faltered slightly, her eyes flashing with confusion when she noticed Scorpius sitting at the table behind him.

"Mr Potter, I must say, I'm quite surprised to see that you're not working with Mr Malfoy," She commented. A few kids snickered, others turned around to see if it was true. Albus and Scorpius were hardly ever separated. 

Albus noticed Matthia's glaring at him from the front of the room, inspecting him sitting with Magnolia. He turned away to whisper something to his best mate, Silas Harrington

"Oh, I was lucky enough to snatch him up this year!" Magnolia said cheerfully, nudging him with her shoulder.

"I see," The Professor put on a polite smile, but gave Albus a quick glance in pity. "Well, the potion looks positively perfect. A beautiful colour and aroma. Fantastic job, as usual, Albus." She made sure to address him directly instead of his partner, knowing well enough that he did the work. 

Albus' lips tweaked upwards and he bowed his head to hide his face. He didn't get compliments often and wasn't too great at accepting them. Mostly professors just told him off for doing something wrong. It wasn't often that he was praised for his schoolwork.

Professor Amatori finished evaluating the rest of the students' potions, congratulating Scorpius and Rose on a job well done--to which they enthusiastically high fived each other with a loud smack causing Scorpius to recoil in pain. 

"Overall, I'm impressed with the results, but do revise this recipe, as it is a simple but powerful one." Professor Amatori adjusted the pale pink pointed hat that sat upon her blonde hair, "No homework for tonight. But do take a peek at your textbook to prepare for the year. This isn't O.W.L. level anymore!" She concluded as the students began to pack up their books and cauldrons.

Magnolia turned to Albus, her blue eyes shining, "You were wonderful! We will make a great team. We should work together more!" She placed her hand softly on his arm, letting it linger for a moment before she started off, "See you later then!"

The weight on her touch seemed to stay on his arm and he tried to shake it off. He watched her leave with eyes narrowed, still trying to figure out what had happened. Why had Magnolia, one of the most popular Slytherin students, suddenly taken an interest in him?

"Well that was weird," he said turning to Scorpius. Rose tagged along with them as they left the classroom. 

"Very," Scorpius agreed, scratching his head.

"What does Magnolia want with you? She and her friends have never been your biggest fans..." Rose alluded to the incident in The Great Hall the day before. Had Magnolia been there too? Albus hadn't noticed. He had been too overwhelmed by his humiliation to pay attention to who was watching. 

But Rose was right. Magnolia had been a part of a specific friend group since first year. They were the elites of Slytherin, the type of kids Salazar Slytherin himself would have favoured--wealthy, popular, and pureblooded. With their entitled positions in their house, they saw Albus and Scorpius as easy targets, both outcasts from famous families. They didn't favour a certain side, Potter vs Malfoy--good vs bad--they just saw them as easy prey. Scorpius was a nerd and Albus was an embarrassment, so it wasn't hard for them to find something to tease them about. 

As far as Albus knew, Magnolia had never bullied them directly, like Matthias or Silas. But the fact that she hung around pricks like them made her guilty by association. Although, she didn't seem all that mean in potions. 

"She's probably just using me to get a good mark," Albus said with annoyance. "Why did you let her partner with me?" He groaned to Scorpius.

He shrugged with a shake of his head, "I don't know, I thought you'd want to!"

Albus almost laughed, "Why would I _want_ to?"

"Well, she's a pretty girl and she seemed to like you so I just assumed..." he trailed off, clutching his books to her chest. He stared straight ahead as they ascended the stairs out of the dungeons.

"Oh," Albus' voice dropped. He hadn't considered that. He didn't really see Magnolia in that way. He knew she was objectively attractive, according to the other boys in school but she'd never caught Albus' eye. Although he didn't often pay attention to girls when he had bullied to watch out for. 

"Well pretty or not," Rose started, "Don't go falling in love with her, or you'll have even more enemies than before."

"Why's that?" Scorpius raised an eyebrow. 

"Is that even possible?" Albus asked.

Rose ignored Albus' remark, "She's popular. Her friends don't like you to begin with, I'm not sure they'd take too well to you trying to join their ranks. Plus, Matthias has been keen on her forever, and we all know how well you two get along." She added with a roll of her eyes.

" _Fantastic,_ " Albus said bitterly.

"Rose, are you coming?"

Albus looked ahead to see a group of girls--Rose's friends, presumably--waiting by the stairs leading to the Gryffindor common room.

Rose turned to Scorpius and Albus, "Where are you both off to?"

Scorpius and Albus exchanged a look, both shrugging.

"Outside, maybe?" Scorpius suggested, wanted to relax outside after their first day of lessons.

Rose looked back up to her cluster of friends, "You all go ahead, I will see you later." She gave them a little wave. They looked at her curiously before continuing on their way.

Albus blinked. Rose going off without her friends? It was almost unheard of.

She turned to the two boys, expectantly, "Well? Come on, then. We are going outside, aren't we?" She turned on her heel, making her way to the nearest door out to the grounds.

Scorpius and Albus exchanged wide-eyed glances before briskly following Rose's lead. First Magnolia wanting to be his partner and now Rose wanting to hang out with them? 

This was going to be a strange year...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really want to make fanart of Professor Amatori... is that weird to make fanart from your own book? Idk but if I do it, I will post it to my tumblr!  
> vias-words.tumblr.com


	10. In the Office

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick TW: Brief mention of suicide/reference to it. Nothing graphic, just spoken! 
> 
> Enjoy the chapter  
> xx

The longer Harry stared down at the words on the parchment in front of him, the more the letters seemed to dance around as if the ink was bleeding all over and turning everything into a muddled mess that couldn't be interpreted. Harry took off his glasses to rub his weary eyes. When he had decided to become an Auror and follow a path of magical law enforcement, he didn't realise how much paperwork would be involved. While he did get to spend time out in the field chasing dark wizards, he often felt like he spent most of his time at his desk looking over case files.

Sitting back in his desk chair, he decided to close his eyes, just for a moment. But whilst that gave his eyes a break, his thoughts still jumbled around his head, overwhelming him with information and memories of what had taken place over the past week. 

The recent murders had made headlines, pressuring his department to work harder and faster to get answers out to the public. But leads were hard to come by and the investigation could only move so quickly. If they were going to be thorough, they needed to take their time. Harry, too, wished he had answers but, unlike most magical things, he couldn't just poof them into existence. Even in the wizarding world, law enforcement wasn't any more easy or instantaneous. So in the meantime, every minute of the workday had been occupied with paperwork, interviews, and following leads. 

On top of his usual work-related stress, Harry had his own life to think about. As much as he wanted to be seen like he lived a problem-free lifestyle after Voldemort's defeat, nothing ever seemed to get easier for Harry Potter. Sure, he may have defeated the Dark Lord and saved the world but now he had new challenges to deal with: his own family. More specifically, his youngest son.

Memories of the most recent events with his son swarmed Harry's head. The heartbroken and hurt expression on Albus' face after their fight in his room, that had ended so horribly, burned into his mind. The feeling of cold dread in the pit of Harry's stomach when he realised Albus' room was empty. Finding his son on the platform, only to get into another argument with him. Things hadn't gone how Harry had wanted them to at all. He wished he'd behaved differently on the platform, scooping his son into a hug instead of going to battle with him. Sometimes Harry questioned his parenting abilities--not just sometimes, but _all_ the time.

Sitting upright again, Harry's eyes shot open as he reached in one of his desk drawers and pulled out a piece of parchment. Dipping his quill into his pot of ink, he began to write at the top of the parchment.

' _Dear Albus_ ,'

Harry's hand hovered over the parchment, trying to figure out how to begin. How do you apologize for so many things in just one letter? How can you express your love with just parchment and ink? 

A knock on his office door caused Harry to jump. A drop of ink fell from his quill, spilling onto the parchment in a blob that sprung tendrils that leaked across the page forming twisting spider's legs. 

"Come in," Harry spoke, resting his quill back in the ink pot and attempting to blot the spilt ink. 

The heavy door creaked open as a familiar face stepped in. Expecting one of the Aurors to come in and give him more work to do, Harry was relieved by the sight of one of his closest friends instead.

"Minister, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Harry greeted, teasing with formality.

"Hello, Harry," Hermione slipped him a smile, "Just wanted to see how you were getting on with the cases."

Harry picked up a heavy stack of papers and files from the side of his desk and dropping them down in front of him with a loud thud, emphasizing his workload.

"You're welcome to come give me a hand if you want to speed up the process"

Hermione let out a single laugh of disbelief, "Right after I finish the pile on my desk that's three times as big." She said with a playful roll of her eyes. "I'm afraid this isn't Hogwarts anymore, and I can't let you copy my notes."

Harry adjusted his glasses with a chuckle, "Oh, if only." 

There was a short moment of silence as Hermione teetered slightly in front of him as if wrestling with what to say next. Harry knew well enough that Hermione would speak her mind about whatever she wished to say but it was how best to word it that she needed some time to ponder. Now more than ever, as Minister for Magic, she needed to carefully think out her words before addressing anyone. The press had a way of twisting what someone said and turning it to mean something completely different. 

Finally, she cleared her through, "I was also curious to know," She started slowly. "If you happened to see the story that was run in the prophet a few days ago." 

Harry rubbed his temples, thinking back to the headlines, "How could I have missed it? There was a great big photo of me and my son on the page glaring right at me. Going after me is one thing. I'm used to the articles blasting me. But my son?" Harry's stomach churned just thinking about it, "He's just a boy!"

"It's vile, I know." Hermione nodded. As Minister, she was familiar with bad press and would continue to hold her head high and ignore it. But as a mother, she could sympathise with Harry's feelings.

"Isn't there anything we could do? That Lacero woman has no right to be publishing rubbish like that about my family! I mean, you're Minister for Magic, for cripes sake, can't you have her fired?"

Hermione sighed, "That would be censorship, Harry. I think it would cause more trouble than it's worth, firing a journalist just because she published something you didn't like."

"It's slander, that's what it is. Lies like that hurt my reputation--and my family." Harry crossed his arms with a huff. Deep down, he knew Hermione was right. She was always right.

"It isn't all lies, is it though?" Hermione bit her lip, "Listen, Harry, you're my closest friend so, of course, I'd hate for anyone to hurt you. Or your family--your family is my family. I feel your pain. But your reputation isn't the most important thing here. And since when has that ever been your biggest concern?"

Harry sighed. He should know better than to worry so much about what the wizarding world thought of him, especially after growing up under the media's watchful eye and hearing all of Rita Skeeter's articles. But sometimes, he couldn't help but take it personally. He'd had his fair share of good and bad press but he worried about how the wizarding world saw him now. Was he a washed up old hero with too much pride for his own good? Or was he a caring family man still beloved by those around him? 

In the end, did it even matter?

"It's not. It isn't," Harry started staring off at the crackling fireplace at the side of the room. Watching the flames reminded him of his times sitting in the Gryffindor common room with Ron and Hermione, doing homework or just discussing their days. His adolescence had been filled with trials and glory but he had still been young and experienced simpler times where he could really be a kid. But those days were over now.

He turned back to look at Hermione, who watched him carefully, "That article...it just reaffirmed to me what a rubbish parent I am."

Hermione's face fell, "Don't say that! You've raised such wonderful children!"

"Ginny deserves the credit. I'm bloody useless. I mean, you read the article! I couldn't even see that my own son has been miserable this whole time! I played it off as teenage angst but I think it might be something more." 

"There are some things you just couldn't have known, Harry. You can't blame yourself." Hermione tried to reassure him.

Harry shook his head, standing up and leaning forward against his desk, "You know what Albus said to me when we got into an argument during your visit? He said that he'd be better off dead. I could have lost my son without even knowing how he was feeling." He was starting to get worked up, his eyes stinging as he blinked back tears. He looked away from Hermione, not wanting her to see him fighting the urge to cry.

"When he wasn't in his room that evening, I--," Harry sniffed, "--I thought the worse. I jumped to conclusions and thought that he might have...he might have killed himself."

Hermione let out a small gasp. She approached the desk, reaching over to put a hand on Harry's shoulder, comfortingly. 

"I could have lost him, Hermione," Harry spoke softly. He hated the thought. That evening had been one of his worst memories. The feeling of panic that had overwhelmed him was more than any fear he'd felt before. It was cold and heavy as if someone had poured a vat of thick oil over him, coating him in a miserable feeling of dread. He'd tried to hide his feelings from his face, so not to concern his family any more than they already had been. Thinking that Albus had run away was one thing--but fearing that he'd taken his own life was a different level of fear. 

Hermione stayed silent for a little while as her face twisted in thought. She continued to rub his arm, a comfort technique that had become second nature to her from her 16 years as a parent. Finally, she opened her mouth to speak again.

"I can't pretend to know exactly what you're going through and how to solve it. But I know, as a mother, that there are times where I think that I'm doing everything completely wrong."

Harry scoffed softly, "You're bloody Hermione Granger, how could you possibly do anything wrong?"

Hermione almost laughed, "I'm also Minister for Magic. My office is my second home. There have been times where I barely am able to see my children for more than a few moments each day because I'm so preoccupied with my work. I feel horrible about it but I have to remember that life is like that sometimes. Yes, I wish I could be there for my children every moment of the day. I wish I had the power to know at all times how they were feeling if they were hurt, or how I could help them. But I can't. There are some things that kids need to go through on their own. It's how they learn and grow into mature adults." 

Hermione took her hand off of Harry's shoulder, standing up straight again so she could look him in the eyes, "That being said, it sounds to me like Albus needs you right now. Your family receives all this attention from books, papers, and magazines, but I think that Albus needs to see the real you--not the one of legend, a hero with a grand life. He needs to see you as I did growing up--as someone who went through loss, pain, and strife, but overcame them and grew up into a great man." 

Harry took a deep breath, processing Hermione's words, "I think you're right." 

Hermione took a few steps back, moving slowly towards the door, "You can't possibly control everything but you can at least show Albus that you love and care for him. And that he isn't alone in his fight."

She made eye contact with Harry one last time, as a sort of confirmation that he'd remember what she told him. Then she turned on her heel, walking out of the office with her cloak flowing behind her. 

Harry was left alone with only the sound of the crackling logs in the fireplace to keep him company. He looked down at his desk, spotting the ink-stained beginning of a letter. Picking it up, he crumpled it up into a ball and tossed it into the bin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kind of like writing from the adult's perspective every so often. I hope the shifts aren't too jarring but I feel that it's important to get both sides of the story. Harry's perspective will be limited but needed in some places!
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	11. Opportunities

It had been nearly a week since Magnolia had chosen to work with Albus in potions class and he was still waiting for the day she got bored of him and decided to partner with someone new. It wasn't that Albus completely minded being partnered--he'd actually started to get used to her--but knowing his luck, he expected her to realise that working with Albus was a mistake. 

It had been fairly clear since the beginning that Magnolia only wanted to partner with him to get a good mark. Perhaps she saw mutual benefit in their partnership, she would do well in class and he would be slightly more popular by association. Albus wasn't so sure if it was actually working in his favour in that way. It seemed like Matthias was more hostile toward him than ever despite Albus' best attempts to avoid him. It was almost impossible, of course, to avoid him completely since they had been assigned to the same dormitory since first year. Albus' new relationship with Magnolia might explain why some of his possessions had been disappearing from his dorm and turning up in odd places...

Even if Magnolia wasn't helping his social situation, she was bearable to work with. Although she still didn't seem to know the recipes, she at least tried to pitch in every so often. She acted as a sort of assistant to him, grabbing the ingredients he asked for or stirring the cauldron whilst he crushed ingredients with a mortar and pestle. So she wasn't _completely_ useless. 

She attempted to make conversation too. She must have learned quickly enough that Albus was never much for small talk, so she tended to just go on about her day or recent gossip whilst he pitched in the occasional _'mhmm'_ or _'okay'_. Working with Magnolia didn't compare to working with Scorpius but it wasn't as torturous as he expected. 

Rose and Scorpius, on the other hand, still seemed to be in a bit of a power struggle as they attempted to work as a team. Rose, a determined leader, and Scorpius, a meticulous perfectionist, tried their best but almost always ended up bickering.

"Bloody hell, Scorpius, hurry up. I need to add it before the potion boils over!" Rose moaned, stirring the steaming cauldron and waiting to add the next ingredient. 

"The book says to grind it into a fine powder. Look, it's still too coarse!" Scorpius held up the mortar for her to see the bone he was crushing. 

Albus held back a chuckle, overhearing their squabbling. He continued to stir his own cauldron, adding the last few ingredients to the potion. 

"So how did you get so good at potions?" Magnolia looked over at him, plucking the petals off a daisy one by one. 

Albus blinked, not used to her asking about him for a change, "Erm, I dunno. It's just the only class I'm not rubbish at."

She raised an eyebrow, "The _only_ class? Surely there's more you can do than just potions." Albus thought she was trying to be encouraging but she obviously didn't know him too well.

"Do you remember that time in defence against the dark arts when I tried to cast expelliarmus but ended up disarming myself and my wand flew into Elliot Birch's eye?" Albus reminded her of a lesson back in third year, "That's pretty much how all magic works out for me."

Magnolia giggled, "Okay, okay, so that wasn't your greatest moment, but I bet with a little practice you could get better! I happen to do very well in charms. Maybe we could study together sometime?" She tilted her head slightly with a flutter of her long lashes. 

Albus' breath got caught in his throat and he started to choke on the air a bit, making quite the fool of himself, "You want to study...with me?" He sputtered. Albus could understand Magnolia partnering with him to get good marks in class but wanted to spend more time with him outside of lessons? That was just unheard of. Why would she want to even be associated with him if it wasn't to her benefit?

Magnolia ignored his small coughing fit, "Well yeah! Since you've been nice enough to help me so much in potions, I thought I could return the favour."

"Times up, lovelies! Please bring a vial of your potion up to my desk for us to test on Mr Toad here!" Professor Amatori's voice announced to the class. She held up a rather warty toad, who looked as if it couldn't be bothered by her antics anymore.

Magnolia shot him a small smile, "You think about it," She said, gently placing her hand on his for a second before she grabbed the potion vial from him to bring up to the professor.

Albus sat there for a moment with a furrowed brow trying to work out in his head what Magnolia had just offered. He turned slightly to look over his shoulder at Scorpius, who had a look on his face as if he'd just ate a spoiled milk flavoured Bertie Bott. 

Trying to wipe the disgusted expression off his face, Scorpius grabbed his own potion vial and briskly delivering it to the front of the room.

"Did I just hear that correctly?" Rose gaped at Albus. "Magnolia wants to _study_ with _you?_ "

"Yes?" Albus said as if it was a question as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh my pygmy puffs, I think she fancies you!" Rose said in a loud whisper, her wide eyes darting around.

"She just wants to study, that's all!"

Rose shook her head, her curls flying around wildly, "That's just an excuse girls make up to meet boys out of lessons."

Albus' face twisted, "Do you reckon?" He glanced back to the front of the room, where Magnolia waited patiently for her turn with the toad. She caught his eye and gave him a little wave. 

Albus turned back to Rose with a look of terror on his face, "Oh bollocks..."

"I can't believe it!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Albus questioned her, wondering if he should feel insulted by her surprise. 

She shrugged, "I mean, she's Magnolia. Nearly every guy thinks she's fit. And you're, well, _you._ "

" _Hey!_ " Albus protested but he knew she was right. Magnolia didn't seem like that type of girl to go for the angsty-looser type. 

"Merlin, if Matthias gets word of this..." Rose glanced cautiously at the boy, who dangled a rat's tail in front of his friend Paisley's face. She yelped in disgust while he laughed. 

Rose rolled her eyes and turned back to Albus, "Well, what are you going to do?"

"Say no," Albus responded immediately. 

His cousin looked surprised by his answer but nodded, impressed, "Really? I expected you'd need convincing."

"I don't really want to make any more trouble for myself," Albus shrugged. He'd never really seen Magnolia that way. Plus, being her potions partner had already irritated Matthias enough, he didn't want to wake up with earthworms in his bed--or worse...

"Good, you don't need it," Rose agreed. "Perhaps we could find you another girl? It would get Magnolia off your case. What about Millie Jacobs, from Hufflepuff? I always wondered if she was keen on you..."

"No!" Albus protested holding up his hands to stop Rose from continuing, "I don't want to try and date anyone. I'm not like James who feels the need to always be with someone to be happy. I just want to focus on my studies and get through the year without any added stress."

Rose shrugged but didn't argue as she spotted Magnolia skipping back to the table, "Suit yourself."

\---

"Good work today, everyone!" Professor Amatori projected over the sounds of students shuffling their things in order to leave the classroom as soon as possible. "Homework is due Monday. Please remember to revise over the weekend, it will only help you in the end! Now off you go!" 

Students began to file out, heading off to their next lessons. 

"What lessons have you both got next?" Rose asked as they started towards the door.

"Herbology, " Albus answered.

"History of magic," Scorpius said as if it was obvious. "We are in the same lesson."

Rose blinked at Scorpius as if it was the first she'd heard of it, "Are we really?"

"We have been for the past week of school!"

"Huh," Rose thought, "I never noticed."

Albus rolled his eyes with a small grin. It was typical of both of their personalities: Scorpius was quite and stayed hidden in the background and Rose was too preoccupied with her own friends and studies to pay close attention to others.

"Albus," An airy voice stopped the three friends.

Albus turned to see Professor Amatori looking at him from where she sat on the edge of the desk. Her long lavender robes draped over the desk in a soft purple cascade. She was almost never seen wearing anything but bright pastels. If she ever wore dark colours, everyone would be concerned about her health.

"May I speak to you for a moment?" 

Albus waved Scorpius and Rose off so they could continue on to their next lesson. He approached the potions professor, his heart beating a little faster, worried about what he might have done wrong. He almost never got in trouble for messing up in potions! Was his good luck streak in the subject running out? He wouldn't be surprised--he was Albus Potter, boy of little talent, after all. 

Professor Amatori must have read his emotion off his face and was quick to reassure him, "Oh don't be nervous. You aren't in trouble!"

Albus felt some relief but wasn't ready to let his guard down yet. He'd learned over his years of past failures to expect the unexpected and never be too trusting. Bad things seemed to happen if he wasn't careful.

"I know you have other lessons, so I will try not to keep you too long. Please, have a seat!" She flicked her wand and a fluffy pink bean bag chair appeared on the floor in front of her desk.

Albus felt rather ridiculous as he sunk down in the cushy seat but did as he was told, waiting anxiously for what the professor had to meet with him privately about. 

"I must admit," the blonde professor began, looking over a little yellow flower planted in a miniature clay pot on the corner of her desk. "I'm rather surprised that you chose to work with Ms Richelieu as your partner this year. I hope that you and Scorpius didn't have a falling out."

Albus shook his head, "No Scorpius and I are fine. To be perfectly honest, I didn't really choose to work with Magnolia. She asked me and I just went along with it."

He watched as she tapped her wand on the edge of the flower pot. Water began to pour out of the tip of her wand, soaking into the soil below. If she hadn't chosen to pursue a career in potions, Albus wondered if she would have done something related to herbology. She seemed to have a strong affinity for plants, as the decorated every corner of her classroom.

"Well, that's good to hear. I've seen you two boys grow up together in your lessons with me. You're both such stellar potions students. It would be a shame if you two weren't getting along."

Normally, Albus would have been discomforted by a teacher taking interest in his social life. But this was Professor Amatori and he trusted her. She was one teacher that seemed to genuinely care about his wellbeing. In his first few years at Hogwarts, when the bullying began and affected Albus the most, she had a keen enough eye to notice something was wrong. Whether she overheard the teasing in the corridors or if she just noticed the dark circles around his eyes and generally low mood, she knew that Albus was struggling with his transition to the new school. She often checked in with him, making sure he knew that if he needed anything, she would be happy to listen. Of course, Albus being too stubbornly prideful for his own good, never seized the opportunity when he probably should have. Instead, he sought comfort in Scorpius, which always seemed to work well enough. 

"Ms Richelieu, of course, is a nice girl but I can tell that she doesn't seem to take an equal share of work. I just wanted to check in to see if that would be an issue for you. Of course, I will take her participation in account when marking exams but it would be unfair for you to have to do all of the work on your own." Professor Amatori was a lot smarter than she let on--in areas other than potions, that is. Rose may have seen her as dippy, but the professor was sharp-witted and seemed to be able to deeply understand people and their feelings. 

Albus supposed that was the Hufflepuff in her. As Head of House, she was always supportive of her students, both Hufflepuff and non-Hufflepuff alike. Normally, her cheeriness would have scared Albus off but Professor Amatori had a comforting presence, sort of like a grandmother who always prepared you fresh baked cookies when you visited--of course, Professor Amatori was a 30-year-old potions master and definitely not a grandmother. Nevertheless, Albus didn't think she had an evil bone in her body, the perfect embodiment of a star Hufflepuff student. 

"It's fine, really," Albus assured her. "To be fair, I sort of like doing the work by myself."

"Ah yes," Professor Amatori nodded with a flourish of her hand--she always seemed to be moving, never wanting to stay still for too long, "Well, you always have been a model student. I trust that you will get your work done well enough without Magnolia's assistance. But be sure to let me know if it ever becomes too much trouble."

"I will."

She looked satisfied by that answer, "Which brings me to my point for keeping you," she stood up and began to walk around her desk while she spoke, "I was wondering if you'd be interested in tutoring some fifth-year students for their O.W.L.s."

Albus was taken aback for a moment. He was good at potions, sure, but he didn't know how to tutor anyone. 

"Wouldn't you rather have someone more qualified? Like Rose?" Albus questioned. Surely Rose would be much better at the job. She loved to talk about all things school and learning. 

"Your O mark makes you the perfect candidate for this position! I certainly will consider Rose, if you do not wish to do it but, personally, I think it could be good for you. It will help you revise for your own exams whilst you help others." 

Albus looked down at his hands, contemplating what to say. It was true, it could be useful for him but it could also go horribly wrong. What if the students he was supposed to tutor ended up being mean to him? Or what if he was just a terrible tutor? He could lose Professor Amatori's respect! 

"Of course, it's entirely your decision. But if you are considering a career in potioneering, it would be a great way to gain some work experience." She tempted. 

Albus could tell she really wanted him to say yes--not for her own sake, but for his. She seemed to genuinely believe that it would be a good opportunity for him. 

"I'll do it," He affirmed, almost surprising himself with the confidence in his voice. 

Professor Amatori clapped her hands together, gleefully, "Oh wonderful! Trust me, Albus, I think you'll find it very rewarding."

Albus hoped she was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No toads were hurt in the making of this chapter...
> 
> If anyone is wondering (which no one probably is but I will share anyways haha) I picture Albus to look a lot like Declan McKenna. I just feel like he has a very Albus-y look. I'd love to hear if you guys have any specific character look-alikes because I love to see how people interpret the characters!!
> 
> I made some character edits on my Tumblr if anyone is curious. I did Albus, Scorpius, James, Lily, Rose, and Hugo moodboards and edits. Here is the link if you want to see how I view them!  
> https://vias-words.tumblr.com/post/182198694142/harry-potter-second-generation-part-1-made-some


	12. The Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long. I've been super busy and haven't been writing as much! But I still plan to continue this story so bear with me.

The fateful day had come. Albus could feel it. It was the day he was getting kicked out of Hogwarts. McGonagall had finally come to her senses and realised that Albus wasn't magical after all and he had no place at the school--At least that's what Albus believed as he made his way through the corridors that Saturday morning, his stomach tossing and turning the little food he'd consumed. He hadn't been able to eat much after receiving the letter at breakfast summoning him to the headmistress' office at 10 am sharp. 

Scorpius had tried to assure him that he wouldn't be getting expelled--Why would they wait until your sixth year to do it?--But Albus wasn't convinced. It seemed only a matter of time that his cruel joke of a school career came to an end. Of course they would keep him almost all the way to the finish only to rip the rug out from under his feet when he was only two years away from completion. It was just his luck. The poor miserable son of Harry Potter, the laughing stock of the wizarding world, put through hell just for others to laugh at his misery.

Despite expecting the worst, he still wasn't prepared for what awaited him as he stepped inside the headmistress' office.

"Dad?" He gawked, freezing in the doorway to the office as he spotted the all-too-familiar head of tousled black hair. 

His father turned to face him from where he was stood in front of the headmistress' desk. Albus' eyes narrowed as they scanned over the outline of his father. His chin had grown scruffier since Albus last saw him a week ago, but other than that, he looked no different: same tired green eyes, same iconic lightning scar, and same rounded spectacles that he'd hardly ever seen his father without. Whilst Albus had grown taller over the years, shed the baby fat on his cheeks, and had gone through various haircuts and styles, his father hadn't changed a bit. Only the wrinkles of his skin seemed to become more prominent with every disconcerted raise of his brows and the circles under his eyes darkening after late nights at the ministry. But he was still the same Harry Potter that he'd grown up seeing photographed in books and papers and the same face he'd looked up to as a child but now caused his shoulders to tense with just a glance. 

"What are you doing here?" Albus spat, finding the courage to step fully into the office. The thick wooden door slammed behind him and he tried not to flinch at the loud bang.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but McGonagall started before he got the chance to, "Albus, please come forward," she instructed as she stood up from her desk chair to wave him closer to her desk.

Albus obeyed, drifting further to the left to create a large gap between him and his father. He crossed his arms and stared off to the other side of the room, away from his dad, scanning the spines of the books that were displayed neatly on the shelves against the wall. 

"As I'm sure you both are aware, parent visits are normally highly discouraged, especially this early in the term," McGonagall began with a clear flat tone, "but, as Mr Potter has assured me that his visit is an emergency that could not be taken care of through an owl, I have decided to allow an exception" 

"But," she tutted, raising a spindly finger, "Do not make a habit of this, Mr Potter. You may be famous but that does not give you permission to be exempted from the rules. You shall be treated equally to the other parents that entrust Hogwarts with the care of their children. I expect that this will be a one time--and one time _only_ \--occurrence, correct?" She lowered her chin as her eyebrows raised at Harry.

"Of course, professor," Harry nodded, hands held in front of him feeling as if he was a schoolboy again in the presence of his former instructor. He glanced over at his son, who avoided looking in his direction, arms folded over his chest, head bowed slightly so that his hair shaded his face. 

Gazing around the office, Harry recalled the many times he'd visited this room when it had belonged to the former headmaster, Dumbledore. Not much had changed since then, many of the dusty relics and old furniture unmoved by McGonagall. But now it was his own child's turn to stand in front of the desk and face the head professor, just as he had done many years prior. 

Albus looked as Harry assumed he must have at that age, with the same dark hair and green eyes--although they lacked the glasses that Harry had become accustomed to. His son was considerably shorter than he had been but shared the same facial structure, usually displaying a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes, and thin frame. Only Albus' clothes reminded Harry that this was the 21st century now, with skinnier jeans and oversized hooded jumpers. Teenagers nowadays seemed to struggle with the proportions of their clothes, although it was probably a better look than the great amount of denim and neon prints that were in style when he was young. 

"Well then," McGonagall gave him a firm nod, "I will let you two discuss whatever matter that brought you here." 

Harry cleared his throat, "Professor, would you mind if we took a walk around the castle?" 

She looked at him, her lips drawn in a thin line and he could tell he was already testing her patience but she nodded, "Try not to attract too much attention to yourself, Mr Potter, as I know you have a habit of doing. And don't be too long. As much as the students would appreciate your visit, I'd prefer to keep my school in line." 

Harry slipped the professor a grateful smile, knowing that there was more to her than her hard rule-keeping exterior, "Thank you, professor. I will be back shortly." Harry turned and started for the door, turning back to look at Albus who'd barely budged. "Are you coming, Albus?"

"I don't seem to have a choice," he muttered before following his father out in a huff.

\---

The flickering light of the torches filled Harry with the warm feeling of nostalgia as he strolled the corridors of his former school and home. As much as he would have loved to stay at Hogwarts past his teen years, he had made the bold decision to leave the comfort of the school to live out his life in the real world. He'd made a new home for himself, one with Ginny and his kids. But that didn't end his love for the castle and he cherished being able to visit it once again. 

That being said, the grounds still harboured some more painful memories that sometimes haunted Harry's dreams. Fires, ruble, and flashes of green lights still sometimes crossed his mind. He did his best to shake those dark memories, replacing them with more sentimental ones as we walked the corridors with Albus by his side. 

"What are you doing here? Did you not embarrass me enough on the platform that you needed to come to my school to make it worse?" Albus finally spoke with bitterness, breaking the silence that had been held since they left the headmistress' office. 

Harry sighed, ignoring his son's belligerent tone. He didn't want to get into another fight, that wasn't the purpose of his visit.

"I actually came to apologise to you, Albus." He told him, his voice calm and collected.

Harry could have sworn Albus' expression softened a bit before returning to a scowl. 

"And that couldn't have been done through a letter?"

"I thought it best you hear it from me in person."

Albus was quiet for a moment as he stared at the ground, his hands shoved into his pockets, "Go on, then"

"I'm sorry about what happened. You just have to understand that I was concerned, Albus. That's why I lost my temper," Harry explained. "I shouldn't have caused a scene on the platform like that."

"But you have no problem arguing with me at home. So it's because it was in public that you're here to apologise, right? Because that hurt your pristine reputation as the most amazing wizard that ever lived?" Albus was obviously still cross at Harry, not dropping his hostility despite Harry's attempt to say he was sorry.

Harry shook his head, wanted Albus to understand his reason for coming to Hogwarts was to make things better between them, "That's not true! I couldn't care less about what the public thinks. I care about you, Albus. And your wellbeing."

Albus hesitated but didn't fully crack, "Just seems strange to me that you'd come all this way coincidentally after that article was published about our fight in the Prophet."

Harry sighed, his shoulders falling, "So you saw that?" 

"The whole school did," Albus said, his voice quieting slightly as his eyes darted back and forth. The corridor was empty but Harry could tell he was still worried that someone might see them. "Really started the term on a high note," He muttered sarcastically. 

Every fibre of Harry wished his son never read the article--or better yet, wished it was never published at all. If he could protect his children from the press at all costs, he would. After all the articles and books and rumours that were spread around about him growing up, he knew he didn't want his kids to be subjected to that. But now that they were growing older and would go off on their own soon, he was beginning to realise how difficult a task it would be. He couldn't protect them from everything all the time, no matter how hard he tried. That was the way the world worked and part of being a parent. 

"Listen, if the kids are giving you a hard time about that, I can speak to Professor McGonagall about it. Surely, she could--"

Albus held out his hand and waved for him to stop, practically grimacing at the idea, "No, no! The last thing I need is my father, _Harry Potter_ , to step in to try and save me. I can handle things on my own." 

"You don't have to be afraid to ask for help sometimes, Al."

"I don't need help from my dad. That would only make the bullying worse." 

"Well it doesn't have to be from me," Harry said, wondering why all conversations with Albus seemed to go in circles. He could hardly ever make a point without Albus finding something to retort back to him. Often times, their conversations seemed more like mad table tennis matches. "I meant in general. Its good to talk to someone." 

"I've got Scorpius to talk to," Albus said crossing his arms again.

"Right, Scorpius..." Harry's gaze drifted off to the tapestries on the walls. As if he could forget his son's choice of a best friend...

"I'm not always as sad and lonely as you think I am, dad," Albus turned his head to face his for the first time since he arrived. His green eyes had turned hard and stone-like, lacking their usual depth. "I mean, not as long as I have Scorpius." He turned away again, avoiding Harry's eye contact. 

"It's just," Harry started, trying to word things gently, "after what you said to me before term started..."

Albus threw his head back and let out a small groan, "Is that what this is all about? I knew I never should have said anything. I'm _fine_ , dad." 

Harry didn't want Albus to shrug off the subject like he normally did. This was serious.

"I know you say that but--" 

"Listen," Albus finally stopped walking, facing his father, "I'm sorry if I worried you. But I don't need your lecture about how great my life is and how I've got nothing to be depressed about. Like I said, I'm _fine_. If I need to talk to anyone then I will talk to Scorpius."

Harry felt like shouting how he wanted Albus to talk to him. How he was his father and he cared for him and he wanted to know how Albus was feeling. He didn't want to be left in the dark anymore, oblivious to his son's emotions. He wanted Albus to trust him. He couldn't be shut out any longer.

But Harry didn't shout, for Albus' sake more than his own. He knew his son wouldn't want that kind of attention, especially not from his peers. Harry had already made that mistake once. Instead, he took a deep breath before speaking. 

"Your mother and I miss hearing from you, Albus. We wouldn't mind a letter every once and a while to check in." 

"Fine, I will send you an owl then. Just please don't show up to Hogwarts again." Albus gave in, trying to speed the conversation along. "Now if you don't mind, I should really get back to Scorpius in the common room. We were kind of thinking I was going to get expelled so I don't want him to be worrying."

Harry's eyes widened, "Expelled?"

Albus shook his head, "Nevermind that. Can I go?"

Harry frowned, he'd come all this way to see his son and now all he wanted to do was get rid of him. He couldn't blame him, after the way they had ended things when he left. But what Harry would have given to get a visit from his parents when he was at Hogwarts...or from Sirius or Lupin even. He wouldn't have taken moments like these for granted. 

"Wait, Al. I wanted to talk some more." 

"I don't know what else there is to talk about. Hogwarts is terrible as usual. I'm still the Slytherin Squib. I haven't changed since I left home. Unlike yours, my life is terribly uninteresting. Sorry if that's not enough for you, but I think it's best you leave before we get into another spat. That's always how it seems to go with us, right?" Albus turned on his heel, walking with a quick pace trying to get away from his father. 

Harry quickly followed, turning into the next corridor behind him, "Can I at least walk you back to your common room?"

There was a gasp from the other side of the corridor. Harry pulled his attention away from his son to see a small group of younger students all staring at him as if Merlin himself had entered the room.

"Look! It's Harry Potter!" One of the students exclaimed, attracting everyone's attention. A few more students poked their heads into the corridor to see if the exclamation had been true. Their eyes grew as they started to run over to him to get a better look.

Albus look from the gathering crowd back to his father, clearly unamused by Harry's knack for attracting attention, "I think it's best you don't. Bye, dad. See you at the end of the term." He gave a halfhearted wave before turning and jogging down the corridor leaving Harry surrounded by the Hogwarts students, unable to run after him.

\---

Albus turned some corners, hoping to get as far away to lose his father, where he couldn't follow him. But he didn't get very far before he ran smack into someone exiting one of the classroom doors. 

"Woah!" He heard a girl's voice exclaim as the contents of her arms clattered to the floor. 

Albus cursed at himself. So much for trying to get away smoothly. He immediately bent down to help the girl gather her things. He picked up a couple of textbooks and a copy of Witch Weekly, a smiling portrait of Bastian Rozario, a new hit wizard singer from Spain, plastered on the cover. Albus stood up to hand the girl her books.

"Than--Oh! Hi, Albus," Magnolia smiled as she realised who had run into her, gladly accepting her books back. 

"Sorry about that. Are you okay?" He asked, scanning her to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"Don't worry, I'm totally fine. I just wasn't paying attention to where I was going," She giggled and waved it off as an accident. "I just finished up some defence against the dark arts homework and was going to head back to the common room. Want to come with?"

Normally Albus would have declined but he was already planning to go the same way, so he agreed and they began walking down the corridor. Every so often, Albus found himself glancing over his shoulder to make sure his dad wasn't following.

Magnolia scrunched her eyebrows together, following his gaze, "What were you running from? Nothing dangerous I hope?" She peered behind them but was satisfied when she saw nothing.

Albus shook his head, "Oh no, nothing. It's fine." 

But Magnolia didn't look convinced, looking over her shoulder once more, her blue eyes glinting with concern.

Sighing Albus admitted in a low voice, as to not be overheard, "It was just my father."

Magnolia's eyebrows shot up, "Your father? You mean, like, _Harry Potter?_ " She responded in an excited whisper.

"That's the one." He rolled his eyes.

"But why were you running from him? How did he get here in the first place? I thought parents weren't allowed to visit Hogwarts." She seemed confused by the whole situation. 

Albus didn't really want to explain his issues with his father to Magnolia. He expected a reaction like all the others: shocked that anyone would have a problem with Harry Potter, their saviour that could do no wrong. 

Sensing that Albus was hesitant, Magnolia spoke slowly, "It's about that article, isn't it? When you two fought on the train platform?"

He shoved his hands into his pocket, staring down at his trainers as he walked, "He can just be such a pain in the arse."

Magnolia nodded, clutching her books to her chest, "Tell me about it," She sighed. "My father is...well let's just say, I'm not too fond of him." 

Albus blinked, turning his head towards her, "Oh? Why's that?" He didn't mean to sound like he was trying to pry. He was just taken by surprise, he'd never thought someone like Magnolia would admit something like that to him.

Magnolia looked hesitant to admit anything. Her eyes darted around the corridor to see if anyone would be able to hear her before she started speaking softly.

"I was never close with my dad. He left my mom when she was still pregnant with me. I only saw him every other weekend until I came to Hogwarts. He tries to bond with me but we just never had a connection, you know?" She frowned, cocking her head at Albus. He could see some vulnerability in her normally so confident eyes. 

"Yeah, I can understand that," Albus told her, thinking of his own complex relationship with his father.

"I know it's not the same as growing up in your father's shadow but I still find it hard to forgive someone who would just leave their family like that." She bit her lip, looking down to the floor. 

Albus felt a pang of sympathy in his chest for Magnolia. He never expected Magnolia to be the type of person to have a problematic life. She was wealthy, popular, and always cheerful, never showing any signs of distress. She was able to hide it well, unlike Albus, who was known for being mopey. Magnolia surrounded herself with friends and always seemed to have a sparkle in her eye. Albus never would have expected her to have problems at home.

In an uncharacteristic moment, Albus forgot about his troubles with his own father and found himself reaching out to put a hand on Magnolia's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"Must be pretty stupid to miss out on raising someone like you," Albus found himself saying, "I mean, you did well without him. You're nice, smart, and have loads of friends. Sounds like you don't need him in your life anyways." 

Magnolia lifted her head slightly to look over at Albus, her lips hinting at an appreciative smile, "I suppose that's true. Thanks, Albus."

Albus' lips tweaked slightly. He suddenly became hyper-aware of his hand, still resting on Magnolia's arm. He pulled away quickly, feeling his face flush and his chest fill with pressure at the awkward moment of softness. It wasn't often Albus found himself offering support like that--with anyone except Scorpius that is. But something about Magnolia's story struck a chord with him. He'd always assumed she was just an airheaded popular girl, her only care having to be with how she looked or what the latest gossip was. Realising she didn't have it so easy made Albus question his impression of her. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. Maybe she was someone he could actually learn to trust and become friends with. 

"So," Magnolia said, eager to change the subject from her personal life, "Your father. Does he come to Hogwarts like that frequently?"

"This is the first time that I know of." Albus walked in sync with Magnolia down the corridor in the direction of the common room, "But he basically loves this place more than he loves me so..." he shrugged.

"You think so?" 

Albus scoffed, "I'm surprised he doesn't come more often just to feed that large ego of his. The wizarding world practically worships him."

She giggled, "My roommate has a poster of him on the wall."

He shuddered at the thought but cracked a smile, "Creepy, but proves my point." 

"It is a little strange," She admitted, looking up at the ceiling in thought, "how much people seem to adore him. Sure, he did something big and great but there were also many other people who fought or lost their lives in the war and they get no attention."

Albus had never thought of that before. The way most articles or history books seemed to frame it was that Harry Potter saved the day. Sure he had help, but many of the other people who fought were nameless according to the books.

"Yeah, that's true." 

Magnolia shrugged, "Just seems a bit unfair if you ask me. I mean we talk about the Fallen 50 but how many of them could you actually name?"

Albus had to wrack his brain but very few names came to him besides the ones his father was close to, such as Teddy's parents.

She took his silence as the answer, "See what I mean. It's just sad."

They approached the common room door, Albus' thoughts still on the legendary Battle of Hogwarts as Magnolia gave the password. 

"After you," Magnolia nodded to him as the portrait swung open for them.

Albus stepped inside, followed by Magnolia as the portrait door slammed shut behind them. 

From the softa, someone jumped up. Albus spotted Scorpius, waiting eagerly to hear Albus' news but his expression faltered when he saw Magnolia walking beside him. 

"It looks like your friend is waiting for you," Magnolia noted Scorpius. "It was nice chatting with you. I hope things get better with your dad, I truly do." She placed a hand on his shoulder, her blue eyes staring right into his. 

"Y-yeah," Albus shifted uncomfortably, "You too. With your dad, I mean." 

She gave him a small smile, her lips drawn shut, before turning on her heel and striding over to the girls' dormitories. 

With Magnolia gone, Scorpius approached Albus, his gaze following Magnolia out before focusing on his best friend, "So? What happened? You're not expelled, right? Right?"

Abus shook his head, "Unfortunately they're keeping me."

Scorpius breathed a sigh of relief.

"But I saw my dad."

"Your dad?" Scorpius' eyes started to dart around the room as his forehead creased, trying to work out how this was possible. 

"He wanted to apologize--or so he claims. Probably just wanted an excuse to roam the castle." Albus rolled his eyes.

Scorpius opened his mouth to say something but Albus didn't let him, "C'mon, let's do something other than talk about my dad for once. I need a distraction."

Albus started walking in the other direction before Scorpius could argue. Albus was done thinking about his father for the day--or so he claimed. Somehow, Harry Potter was always working himself back into Albus' conscious, like a pestering song that just won't leave your head no matter how hard you try. His father was a stubborn force that Albus didn't think he'd be rid of any time soon...


	13. An Idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a little while but I've got the next few chapters written so there will be new updates coming soon! Stay tuned, exciting things to come (if I do say so myself!

There were times when Albus really missed waking up to sunlight streaming through the windows and the warbling of birds enjoying the crisp morning air. He was never much of an outdoorsy person but waking up to the bright and calm greeting always made the worst time of day a little bit easier. 

But mornings like those were impossible in the Slytherin dormitories. The room was dark when he shut his eyes at night to when he was forced to pry his eyelids open in the morning. The only light that managed to stream through the ornate windows that lined the far wall was green in hue from the murky lake, making the morning feel far more threatening than the welcoming rays of sun in his bedroom at home. 

Albus didn't awake to the sounds of birds either. Instead, the dorm filled with shuffling students, low raspy morning voices, and the screeches of drawers opening and shutting as the others got ready for the day. 

On the days when he could sleep and wasn't kept up through the night by his thoughts and worries, Albus was one of the last to wake up. When he did finally manage to pry his eyes open, Scorpius was already tying his shoes, sat on the edge of his bed. 

When Scorpius noticed Albus' open eyes, he smiled, "Morning!" 

He was far too chipper for the early hours. If there was one thing about Scorpius that got on Albus' nerves, it was that he was a morning person; he was always full of energy while Albus struggled to keep his eyes open. 

Albus groaned and rolled over, shoving his face into his pillow. Seconds later, he felt Scorpius' hands on his back, shaking him to try and get him to stir. 

"Come on, I'm hungry and don't want to go to breakfast alone," Scorpius pleaded. 

They heard a snicker from across the room, "Merlin forbid, you go anywhere without your wimpy sidekick. A scary first year might try to duel you in the corridor and goodness knows you don't have a chance on your own."

Albus recognized the patronizing voice, rolling over to throw his pillow at him, "Shut up, Matthias."

With quick reflexes, Matthias pulled out his wand, thrusting it forward as an orange light sparked out at the pillow. The pillow burst open mid-air, littering white feathers over the floor in a fluffy blizzard.

Matthias and his friends, Ryker and Silas, laughed as they started towards the door, leaving the mess behind for Scorpius and Albus to deal with.

"Wouldn't need a pillow to defend yourself if you actually knew how to use your wand," Ryker sneered as they passed then slammed the door behind them.

Adding to Albus' miserable experience at Hogwarts were his dorm roommates. The rectangular room mirrored the style of the rest of the Slytherin common room, with stone walls and high ceilings held up by grand pillars. There were five students to a room, each given a four-poster bed curtained with green velvet. The beds faced each other, pushed up against the long sides of the room, three on one side, two on the other. The beds were spaced alternatingly, in a sort of zipper-like pattern that zigzagged to the far wall where tall pointed windows looked out into the lake. On the opposite wall, a fireplace crackled softly next to the wooden door that led out into the common room. The fire stayed alight most hours of the day and Scorpius' cat could almost always be found curled up in the flicker of firelight, enjoying the warmth she was unable to get from the sunlight-less windows. It would have been fairly comfortable if it weren't for the unpleasant company it held.

Scorpius and Albus resided in the two beds next to each other, their trunks pushed up against the footboard. Across from them, they faced the three most popular Slytherin boys--just their luck that they'd be stuck with the same boys who loathed their existence. Their dorm room was not a safe space where Albus could hide away at the end of a long day like he wished it could be. He was never fully free of the constant tormenting from Matthias, Silas, and Ryker. 

On a positive side, as popular students, they spent little time in their bedroom and more time out with their friends. If they weren't with their other friends after lessons, they could usually be found on the quidditch pitch--a place where Albus and Scorpius would never be caught dead. So the only real times they saw the three boys were early in the morning and late at night, to Albus' relief. They came and left quickly, hoping not to interact with the two outcasts, only stopping to make fun of them every so often. The less either group saw of each other, the better. 

"Pricks..." Scorpius muttered as he waved his wand over the mess the boys had made. The feathers began to sweep themselves up into neat little piles before blowing over into the rubbish bin. 

After the room was cleared, Albus finally pulled himself out of his bed to get ready for the day before he and Scorpius headed out towards the Great Hall. The corridors on that Monday morning were quiet, as robed students shuffled towards breakfast, still groggy from waking up early after the weekend. Only echos of footsteps against the stone floor and the soft murmur of quiet conversations could be heard as Scorpius and Albus made their way up to the ground floor, where the smell of toast and sausage wafted from the doors of the Great Hall. 

As Scorpius and Albus grew closer to the Great Hall, a loud wail caused them to jump, disturbing the sleepy quiet. A girl burst out of the Great Hall letting out wailing sobs, her Ravenclaw robes billowing as she ran past.

Everyone in the corridor paused to watch the scene as the girl disappeared up the stairs in the direction of her common room. They exchanged looks of confusion and concern before continuing to their destination, with more hesitation than before.

"Who was that?" Albus questioned, craning his neck to peer around Scorpius to the staircase the crying girl had run up, trying to catch another glimpse of her. 

Scorpius frowned, "It looked like Amanda Boot. She's a fifth year." His eyes drifted in the direction she ran, "I hope she's okay."

Albus shrugged, figuring he'd overhear what happened later in the day. Rumours seemed to spread around Hogwarts faster than any illness or plague ever could. As a boarding school isolated in the Scottish Highlands, everyone was always itching for the latest news and gossip, wanting the entertainment and something to talk about to get their mind off of schoolwork.

The rumour already seemed to be circulating throughout the Great Hall as Albus entered, whispers mixing in with the scrapes of cutlery and the crackling torches. Students leaned over to talk to their friends in hushed voices, their eyes facing the doors Amanda had just run through. 

Albus assumed the whispers all regarded the sobbing girl, as something must have caused her to break down at breakfast. But as he and Scorpius approached the Slytherin table, he began to notice the stares following him. 

"What did I do this time?" He whispered to Scorpius, his heart starting to beat faster in his chest. If he wasn't awake before, he certainly was now, alert and fearful as to what he could have done to attract this much attention so early in the morning. Was his hair a mess? No, he had brushed it before he left his dorm. Did he forget to zip his fly? He discreetly reached for the zipper of his trousers but found it fully closed. Had he somehow caused Amanda to get upset without meaning to? He wasn't sure how it was possible if he'd only just gotten out of bed. 

He didn't have time to question himself anymore before a hand grabbed his wrist, forcing him to turn around to face a head of bright red hair. He glanced down to see his little sister, clutching something in her other hand, her eyes more firey than usual.

"Why didn't you tell me dad was here yesterday?" 

"Uhh..." Albus didn't have time to process her question as a taller figured appeared behind her. 

"Oi, what did you do to make dad have to come all the way here?" James towered over his two siblings, looking annoyed as if Albus was to blame. 

Albus was intimidated by the sudden confrontation from his siblings, his mind spinning as to how they could have known about his father's visit.

He didn't have time to ask before James shoved something in his face. Albus stepped back to get a look at the paper in front of his eyes. From behind him, Scorpius let out a displeased sigh seeing what the Potter siblings were referring to. 

"You just can't stay out of the media, can you?" James' voice was sharp and accusatory. "Whatever this ongoing battle you have with dad is, it needs to stop. It's gone too far."

Albus' head was spinning, trying to understand his sibling's anger. His eyes scanned the paper in front of him, the tiny font of the newsprint hard to focus on. But he didn't need to read very far before he began to catch on. 

_'Potter's Unannounced Visit to Hogwarts Provokes Questions of Security and Privilege'_ The headline announced, followed by a photo of Albus walking down the corridor with his father. Their backs were turned away from the camera, completely oblivious to the photo being taken.

"Don't you think dad has enough to deal with right now?" Lily folded her arms over her chest. Albus was unused to seeing her so cross at him.

"He's trying to solve murder cases but he has to drop everything to check on your emo arse because you can't go a day without causing drama and making our family out to be the bad guys." James spat.

"I'm not trying to!" Albus finally sputtered out. He was still struggling to process everything. What did the article say that upset his siblings so much? How did someone even find out about Harry's visit?

"I get you think you're some sort of black sheep in the family but now people are gonna think dad isn't doing his job because of you. So good going, Albus," Lily grip tightened on the copy of the Daily Prophet in her hand. "This doesn't just affect you, you know. You're embarrassing us too!" She huffed before marching away to rejoin her friends, who were all staring daggers in Albus' direction.

"Seriously. Take a minute to think about the rest of us for once. You may not like it but we are your family and what you do concerns the rest of us. We don't need this negative attention--dad certainly doesn't need it. Just be normal for once in your life and stop dragging dad into your issues." James dropped the paper into Albus' hands and stormed off before Albus could say anything more. 

Albus felt frozen in place, trying to comprehend what just happened. His hands shook as he clutched the paper--yet another article containing a story about the tension between him and his dad. The whole wizarding world read about his troubles twice in the course of just a few weeks. 

He flinched as he felt someone else's hands on his shoulders. His head whipped around to see Scorpius, his face pale with worry, knowing Albus wouldn't react well to the attention on him. He started softly pushing Albus toward the door, where they could escape the stares of the students and find a place to escape to. 

Rose ran forward from the Gryffindor table to follow them, holding her own copy of the story in her hand.

"It's that Lorelei Lacero again," Rose informed them. "Don't read it. It isn't pleasant."

Albus let out a groan. It was the only noise he could muster. A heavy weight had begun to settle on his shoulders and his feet felt as though he was being pulled down into quicksand. Why did these things always happen to him? It was never James or Lily. They barely had to deal with the negative attention. They were the perfect little Gyffindors of the family, model students who took after their famous parents. Albus was nothing but a disappointment that only seemed to drag their family down. 

"Don't worry too much, though!" She tried to sound more positive, seeing Albus' worsening mood, "It doesn't say anything that bad about you. It's more just talks about people thinking your dad is using his fame to drop into the castle. They just don't like the fact that he can break the rules like that. In my opinion, they are making out to be worse than it is. They say it could be dangerous to let in someone to the castle like that but clearly, they don't realize that Hogwarts is the safest place in the wizarding world. McGonagall knows what she's doing. And uncle Harry certainly doesn't pose a threat. I just don't see why--"

Scorpius cut her off, "Rose, please shut up." He spoke more boldly than usual, even seeming to surprise himself. "We don't really need to hear this right now." He still held onto Albus' arm, offering support. 

Rose pursed her lips but didn't argue, "I just wanted to help..." She looked to Albus, concern in her eyes, "I know James and Lily might be mad but they will get over it. Just know that your whole family isn't against you. I don't blame you. I've got your back." 

Without warning, she grabbed Albus and pulled him into a hug. There was little height difference between them and he was able to rest his head against her shoulder. Normally, he would have rejected the friendly advancement but for once, Albus was in need of an embrace. 

It was easy to forget how closely related he and Rose were. They showed little resemblance, Rose inheriting the Weasley's ginger hair with her mother's bushy curls and a blend of her parent's skin tones, whereas Albus appeared to only have received the Potter genes, with a mop of dark black hair. By looks alone, one wouldn't realize they had any family in common. Their personalities couldn't have been more opposite either, Rose outspoken and academically inclined and Albus a quiet failure. As children, they had been best friends but after entering Hogwarts, Albus grew more and more distant, hardly interacting with his cousin at all. Without knowing their family history, no one would have ever guessed that Rose and Albus even knew of each other's existence.

But within the last few weeks, that all seemed to be changing. As Rose began to stick around him more, their broken childhood bond suddenly felt as though it was being stitched back together, little by little. She would always be his cousin, but she now felt more like a friend.

Rose finally released him, stepping back with a serious look on her face, "And if anyone causes you any more trouble, they will have to deal with me!" She made a fist, waving it threateningly. Anyone who knew Rose in the slightest knew she wasn't messing around. 

"And me!" Scorpius piped up, trying his best to look intimidating. He narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest, trying to appear tougher despite his lanky build and innocent demeanour.

Rose's eyebrow tweaked up, unconvinced by his attempt at intimidation, before she let out a soft chuckle. The thought of Scorpius trying to fistfight someone was not an easy thing to imagine.

"Hey! I can be tough too!" Scorpius protested with a pout, revealing his true puppy dog nature. Her laughter only grew, lightening the mood a bit as Scorpius joined in, laughing at himself.

Watching his two friends enter a fit of giggles, even Albus managed to crack a smile. They were there for him when everyone else seemed to be against him. Knowing they had his back made him feel not so alone anymore.

\---

If it were up to Albus, he would have skipped his lessons and spent the day in bed, hiding from anyone who read the article and hoping it would blow over by the next day. But Rose and Scorpius pushed him to attend, refusing to let him go back to his dormitory. 

"They'll be a good distraction. Just focus on your work!" Rose told him as they approached the potions classroom.

Albus kept his head low, books clutched tight to his chest. He wanted to protest but was cut off by Professor Amatori swinging her door open with her usual dramatic flair.

"Good morning, dears! Takes your seats quickly. I have an exciting lesson planned!" She waved her arm through the air as if she was presenting the classroom to them. The oversized bell sleeve of her periwinkle robe just narrowly avoided dragging against the dusty floor. 

The students filed in, Albus and his friends being the last to enter the sweet-smelling room. Already, he could feel the stares of his peers on him--Or perhaps it was just paranoia looming over him as he walked into the room.

Noticing his discomfort, Scorpius whispered to him, "Wouldn't a sleeve of that length be considered a safety hazard?" He looked back at their Professor, who was working dangerously close to the fire underneath her own cauldron. One wrong movement and her whole arm could go up in flames. Leave it to Professor Amatori to sacrifice safety for style. 

Albus' lips tweaked up, thankful for Scorpius' attempt to distract him. 

Magnolia was already seated at their work station by the time Albus got there. She sat straighter in her seat and smiled at him, only able to get out a short but cheerful greeting before Professor Amatori began her lesson. They followed along with her instructions, taking turns adding in potion ingredients and stirring the bubbling brew. 

Rose had been right. Working on a potion did help distract Albus from his disastrous morning. He was able to focus on something he enjoyed rather than lingering on the harsh words of his siblings. But unfortunately, the distraction could only last so long before he was dragged back to reality.

The professor made her rounds through the classroom, checking the potions of each pair of students, allowing them some spare time to finish up. Magnolia took this opportunity to chat with Albus, turning to him with wide eyes.

"Did read the article in The Daily Prophet this morning?" 

Reality came crashing back down upon Albus' shoulders, his concentration on his potion shattered. His hand clenched instinctively, almost crushing his handful of pufferfish eyes.

He bit his lip, sprinkling the eyes into the cauldron while avoiding Magnolia's gaze, "I don't really want to talk about my father right now."

Magnolia blinked, tilting her head as if she wasn't sure what he was talking about.

Albus furrowed his brow, looking over at her, "That rubbish story about my father?"

She shook her head with a puzzled look, "Well, I reckon your father's department must be involved..."

Albus tried to get his story straight, not following along, "Wait, what are you on about?" 

"I'm talking about the murder! What are _you_ on about?"

Albus was taken aback, "Murder? What murder?" He hadn't heard anything about another murder taking place. He'd avoided looking any further at the newspaper after Rose had explained the article about him and his father to him.

"You really don't know?" Magnolia looked shocked, "What do you think everyone's been talking about all morning?"

It never really occurred to Albus that people might have been gossiping about a topic other than him and his father. Maybe his siblings were right: maybe he was the selfish one. He spent so much time worrying about himself, he wasn't even aware of something much more serious taking place.

Magnolia took his confused silence as a cue to explain further, "Amanda Boot's dad was killed yesterday."

Suddenly things began to click. Albus' thoughts were thrown back to the Ravenclaw girl running out of the Great Hall crying. After his own negative experience at breakfast, he had brushed that aside as just a minor event and had almost forgotten about it. 

"What? How?" Albus questioned, leaning in to pick up every detail.

Magnolia shrugged, speaking in a low voice so the others wouldn't hear, "I don't know. I heard some people say they suspect he might have gotten mixed up with some bad wizards."

"Bad wizards? What is that supposed to mean?" Albus was on the edge of his seat. His mind started racing back to the other murders that had taken place so recently. First Hogsmeade, then the professor, and now Amanda's dad. They all seemed to sudden yet eerily close together in time. There had to be an explanation for why all these wizards were being killed in such a short span of time. Maybe they were connected after all...And there may be a group responsible for it. Albus needed more information.

"I don't have any idea. It's pretty scary if you ask me." Magnolia lowered her head with a solemn shake, "I just feel bad for Amanda..."

"Alright, everyone! Time to clean up," Professor Amatori's voice cut through their conversation before Albus could ask for any more details. "Please practice and perfect that recipe for our next lesson. I don't want to give anything away, but I suspect it will be useful to memorize for your exams." 

The class began to quickly shuffle to clear their workspaces and head off to their next lesson. 

Magnolia turned to Albus one last time as she packed up her things, "You haven't heard anything from your dad about it, have you? It's his department working on the case, isn't it?"

Albus rubbed the back of his neck, his mind wandering back to their conversation yesterday "No. We don't really talk about his work much." In fact, the only time Albus heard about his father's work was when he overheard his parents discussing it or his conversations with Aunt Hermione. There was never much time between their arguments to discuss Ministry business.

Magnolia frowned, "Oh...well I hope it all gets resolved soon. I hate the idea of murderers being on the loose." She shuddered before returning to her normal self, giving him a beaming smile, "See you later then!"

A feeling of guilt spread through Albus' chest. A girl in his year had brutally lost her father and meanwhile he had been in an argument with his the same day. What if his father had been at the ministry instead of Hogwarts? Would he have been able to help? Would the case have been dealt with sooner? 

His father had chosen to deal with Albus rather than be at work where he could be working on the case. That thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Wizards were being killed and Albus could be to blame for the fact that the murderers had not been caught yet. And now his family was taking the hit because of the drama he had caused.

He needed to do something about it. He needed to not only fix his own reputation but help his family's too. Maybe this was an opportunity to make things right.

Albus' mind began swirling with thoughts and ideas, trying to remember all the details of the murders he had read or overheard. It was uncommon to hear of one wizard being murdered in the news, let alone three in just a months time. There had to be more to the story than just sporadic deaths. And the Wizarding World was practically begging for an answer to make some sense of them. 

Filled with a sudden burst of energy, Albus grabbed Rose and Scorpius with either arm, pulling them out of the classroom.

"Woah! What's going on with you?" Rose asked in surprise as she was dragged along, taking quick steps to keep up with Albus' brisk pace.

"Come on, I need to talk to you guys." He scoped out the corridor, twisting his head to peer into open doors for a private place to talk. His mind first went to the Slytherin common room. It wasn't far but it wouldn't work. He would risk people overhearing--plus Rose wouldn't be allowed inside. He'd have to find an unused classroom. 

"But we have a lesson soon!" Scorpius protested, trying not to trip over his own feet as Albus tugged him along. 

"This is more important," Albus assured him.

"But--"

Rose could see the intensity in Albus' eyes, "It's fine. It's just one lesson."

Scorpius looked shocked at Rose's uncharacteristic comment but decided to keep his mouth shut. 

Albus pulled Scorpius and Rose into an empty room, slamming the door behind them. A fire burned in his chest: a newfound enthusiasm he hadn't felt in a long time. He released his friends, pacing in front of them as he tried to organize his thoughts and ideas to present to them. 

Rose hoisted herself up onto a table, swinging her legs over the edge. Scorpius eyed the door as he fiddles with the seam of his robes, leaning back against the table. Both waited anxiously for what could have possibly launched Albus into this sudden frenzy.

Albus finally stopped pacing, turning to face his friends who watched him with anticipation. 

He looked his friends dead in the eyes and stated with a rare boost of confidence, "I'm going to solve the murders."


	14. The Leaky Cauldron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone who commented on older chapters who I never responded to, thank you!! I read them all and appreciate them so much! It's so great to hear your thoughts. I wanted to respond to them but it seemed weird to reply to comments from back in like February or before so I just wanted to post a little something here. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Ron was already sat down in the far corner of The Leaky Cauldron when Harry arrived, slightly dishevelled from rushing over from his office. His black hair was touseled like always but his robes were askew and his the dark circles under his eyes even more prominent than usual.

He plopped himself in the seat across from Ron, still puffing but happy to be off his feet.

"Sorry, I'm late."

"Nah, no worries, mate. Got you a pint already," Ron nodded to the amber filled glass across from his own half-empty pint.

"Thanks," Harry took a big swig, releasing a sigh, "You don't know how much I needed this."

"Oh, I'm sure. Hermione's been keeping me updated. You deserve a good break."

Harry let out a small scoff, "I certainly need the break but I wouldn't say I deserve it."

He'd been working tirelessly since the night before, spending sleepless nights at the office overwhelmed by mountains of paperwork, constant meetings with the Aurors, and on the field investigating. Not to mention the flood of letters and complaints that had been showing up at his door from people who had read the most recent article published about him in The Daily Prophet--almost all of them criticizing his choice to show up at Hogwarts instead of apparating to the scene of the crime as soon as it was discovered. His visit with Ron at the pub was the first break he'd gotten in the last 24 hours. While his aching feet and throbbing head were thankful for rest, he couldn't really enjoy his pint with the looming feeling of guilt prodding him that he should still be working.

"It's because of the bloody article, isn't it?" Ron said, taking a sip of his drink and leaning back in his chair. "You can't take that to heart. The Prophet has never been your biggest fan, one more rubbish story shouldn't be bringing you down. Not to be too blunt but you look like you're second from falling apart, mate."

Harry rolled his eyes, trying to straighten his cloak, "Gee thanks, Ron."

"I'm just saying," He raised his hands in defence. "But it's a new low to be targetting you for trying to just be there for your son. Writer must not have any kids of her own."

"I believe the issue is more of my so-called entitlement," Harry scoffed with a roll of his eyes, "for being allowed to go to Hogwarts to talk to Al. If they only knew the whole story, maybe I wouldn't be receiving as much criticism as I am. The problem is they make judgments on something they know nothing about just because some ridiculous journalist tells them they should be upset."

There was no way Harry could please everyone; The entirety of Britain were all bond to hold different opinions on different situations. But as the former saviour of the Wizarding World, Harry was expected to somehow put everyone else's needs before his own. If he did something that someone disagreed with, he'd surely hear about it.

If the people knew about the real reason for his visit and the worry he had for Albus, perhaps they could sympathise. But of course, they only cared to point out Harry's wrongdoings and never the good he was trying to do. They saw him bending the rules to talk to his children at Hogwarts instead of being on call for his job, labelling him as entitled because of his status and ability to do so. Had something actually happened to Albus or they had published more about the reason Harry was so concerned, he would have been attacked by the media, called a bad parent for not caring more for his son. It was a lose-lose situation. No matter how hard he tried to balance his work and family life, people would always scrutinise him for leaning too far in one direction or the other.

"That's the press for you," Ron raised his glass up in a mocking toast. "People still want to see you as the hero of the Wizarding World rather than a father with kids who need and rely on you."

Harry raised his pint up in agreement before taking another frothy swig. He sat back in his chair, staring out at the moderately busy pub. Wizards of all shapes and sizes in robes of all colours mingled with friends at the tables, pints in hand. A witch with an offwhite apron tied around her waist meandered around the tables, flicking her wand at dirtied plates and cups which floated onto the trolley cart behind her. The scent of meat pies and gravy wafted through the air from the kitchen mixing with the musty scent of the old wooden tables and floorboards. There was a dull murmur of conversations, mixed with the clink of cutlery and the fizz of drinks being filled on tap. The pub was a cosy and communal place, perfect for gathering with old friends or meeting new ones.

Years ago, when Harry was still a child himself, he couldn't even step into The Leaky Cauldron without attracting attention from the patrons inside. They'd crowd around him, trying to shake his hand or get a look at his lightning scar. Now, as a regular, he was able to have some more privacy, seating himself in a corner, unlikely to be bothered. It didn't mean that people had lost interest in his life though--on the contrary--but instead of being praised for his heroics as a baby, he was watched for his actions as a ministry man. There were very few days where his name wasn't mentioned at least once in The Daily Prophet. Today had been no exception.

Lines of this mornings news articles raced through his mind, mixing in with the comments and complaints received by owl. It was almost impossible to have any sort of private life. Every action he took always seemed to find it's way into the public eye, from his department at the ministry to even his family vacations. The only place he ever felt perfectly secure was his home and Hogwarts, but now even that was ruined for him.

"I just don't know how that Lacero got the photo and information from when I was there," Harry suddenly stated. It had puzzled him all that day since he had read the paper.

"Did anyone see you when you were there?"

Harry thought back to the stroll around the castle. He highly doubted Albus would sell him out to a journalist. While it would have been a good way to further get on Harry's nerves, he knew Albus wouldn't want any more attention from The Prophet than he already got. He would do anything to avoid having anything about himself in the paper. It couldn't have been him.

"There were a few younger students who spotted us. Perhaps one of them might have a connection to the Prophet?" Harry thought aloud, trying to remember the faces of the young students who huddled around him excitedly.

"It's possible," Ron nodded.

Harry didn't know who else could have witnessed his conversation with Albus. Only McGonagall had known he was there at all. And he hadn't encountered any other students on the walk.

Unless they hadn't witnessed it at all...

Harry bit his lip, trying to shake away the idea of that. He didn't want it to be true but the creeping suspicion crawled up his back, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stick up.

Ron noticed his discomfort, cocking his head, "What is it?"

"You don't think...no, he wouldn't," Harry muttered, trying to disprove his theory.

"Who wouldn't?" Ron inquired, wanting to know what Harry was thinking.

"Well, the only other person who might have known what Albus and I talked about was--" Harry hesitated to even say his thoughts out loud. He already got enough flak from Ginny for questioning his son's choice of company.

"Who?" Ron asked again, growing impatient.

Harry sighed, "Scorpius."

"Malfoy's little brat?" Ron's eyes widened before quickly narrowing as he rubbed the red scruff on his chin.

Harry nodded slowly, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth.

"You don't think..."

"If Albus said anything to Scorpius--and there's no doubt he did," Harry knew that his son couldn't resist complaining about him to his best friend. "--then it's possible."

"Do you think he told Draco?"

Young Draco's voice moaning his usual catchphrase, ' _my father will hear about this_ ' rang through Harry's mind. He could tell that Ron had been thinking the same thing.

"I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree..." Ron let out a breathy chuckle, exasperated but not surprised.

"It all makes sense," Harry removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose, wondering how he didn't think of it sooner. "The first article was published after we fought on the platform. Draco was there and when he tried to talk to me afterwards, I may have said something regretful. But now he must be trying to get back at me using his son to manipulate Albus into revealing things."

"That certainly sounds like a Malfoy thing to do..." Ron agreed.

It had been many years since Harry and Draco were in school together, constantly rivalling each other. While the Malfoy family may have turned around slightly from their dark days as Deatheaters, it seemed unlikely that Draco could have changed so dramatically since their school days. Even in Albus claimed that Scorpius was nothing but a saint, Harry still had a deeply rooted distrust for Draco and his family. It seemed only likely that Draco still desired to get back at Harry after all these years, and now he found a way to do it.

"So what are you going to do about it?"

Harry had to think about Ron's question. They weren't schoolboys anymore; they couldn't just tell a professor or even duel out on the grounds. They had to start handling their issues as mature adults now. While Malfoy may have been seeking revenge in a more childish manner, Harry decided he wouldn't do the same, electing to take the high ground instead.

"I will ignore it," Harry decided with a firm nod. "As you said, stories are rubbish anyway. Everyone will forget about them in a few days time." A little bit of bad press couldn't ruin Harry's reputation.

Ron looked impressed. A lot had changed since they were boys at Hogwarts...

"I've got more important business to focus on than Malfoy's childish games."

"Good on you," Ron pointed at Harry nodding his head. "I can't say that I'd do the same but you know me. If that bastard ever tried to come at me or my kids I'd be at his door to give him a good ol' sock to the nose."

The image of Ron punching Draco at his own front door made Harry chuckle, "Believe me, he deserves it. But I'd definitely be reading about that in the paper the next day."

Ron shrugged, a smirk lingering on his lips, "Well if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."

"I'd love to take you up on that offer but I'm getting enough complaints and hate-mail at my door already for decided to meddle in my son's life than be at work 24/7. Had a murder not taken place the very same day, I'm sure no one would have even bothered to care that I was at Hogwarts. I would have much rather been able to be on the scene right away. Perhaps I could have done more," Harry lowered his head with a shake, the guilt creeping back upon him.

The thought had bugged him all day. What more could he have done if he was only home that day, ready to jump up and work the case? Would they have caught who did it? Could they have prevented the death in the first place?

Ron tried to lift some of the blame off of Harr's shoulders, "You're only human. They can't expect you to be on call every moment of every day. Sunday's a day off, you wouldn't have been in office anyways."

Harry shrugged, not feeling much better about the situation. While Ron was right, Harry couldn't help but feel as though he had an obligation that he disregarded. Perhaps if he hadn't been preoccupied with Albus, he could have been on the case as soon as it took place.

"But I could have been there."

If Harry had been home, he would have been the one to answer the door for the Auror who came to tell him the news of the murder. He could have apparated to the scene to scope out the surroundings, collect any evidence, or perhaps even have caught the culprit--or culprits.

"Yout can't blame yourself for not being able to fix every little wrongdoing in the world, Harry," Ron tried to reassure him. "It may seem like the wizarding world expects that from you, but you're just one person. Not even the great Harry Potter can solve every little issue, just like that," He clicked his fingers together with a swish of his hand.

Harry rubbed his temples, "This one just feels more personal. He was in our year, Ron. A member of the DA. And now he's dead because my department still hasn't been able to find who's responsible for these killings."

His best friend nodded, solemnly sipping from his glass, eyes far off as he thought back to their fifth year.

"I didn't know him well," Ron spoke finally. "But he seemed like a bright kid."

"We were in Advanced Potions together with Slughorn," Harry noted, thinking of the former Ravenclaw. "Never kept up with him after Hogwarts. I'm not even sure what he went on to do after the war. A pity really. After all the time in DA meetings, we all should have stayed in touch."

Ron nodded in agreement, although they both knew it would have been unlikely. After a war seemed like an inappropriate time to exchange contact information. Terry Boot had never been a close friend of theirs, spending much more time with his fellow house members. Yet, he'd played a valuable role in the fight against Lord Voldemort which Harry and Ron would forever be grateful for.

"Hermione said he had a daughter. Hugo's age, I believe." Ron told him, tapping his chin as he tried to remember the details he'd overheard from his family throughout the years.

Harry heart sunk in his chest, thinking of the poor girl without a father now. While the thought of loss still stung, especially as someone who lost many people throughout his lifetime, the feeling only made Harry more determined to make things right. It fueled him to go to work everyday and complete form after form, review every bit of evidence, look over all the notes, and sit through hours of meetings in hope that he could resolve a problem and provide closure to those who were hurting.

Ron took the pause in conversation as an opportunity to lean in, lowering his voice so none of the other pub-goers could overhear, "Any word on who might be involved. Hermione said there's rumours going round that all these deaths could be connected."

Harry hesitated to share his findings, knowing his office preferred to keep things strictly confidential. But this was Ron, his best friend. There was nothing Harry couldn't tell him. Besides, he'd probably be able to find out through his wife eventually.

"We haven't been able to confirm or deny that these killings may be interconnected in some way. But sporadic deaths like these are normally so uncommon, it seems suspicious that there would be three within the span of a month."

Ron hung on to every word, "So who--or what--do you think's doing it?"

Harry glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot. People were already starting to get worried from reading the news stories about the deaths, he didn't want to be responsible for any panics starting.

"Based on what we've seen, it's definitely a witch or wizard. All killed by curse. No bite or claw marks to indicate any creatures involved. No poisons in their systems. All just discovered lying dead out on the street. All witnesses in the area were obliviated." Harry then added, "Been a real pain to hide the investigations from the Muggles."

The Aurors and investigators had to work quickly to investigate the area. They used charms to keep out any Muggles but the crimes were creeping closer to busier areas, where their spells could only distract Muggles for so long before they start getting confused as to why they couldn't find their street or local takeaway.

Ron nodded, crossing his arms in front of him as he processed the information for a moment before offering his thoughts.

"Okay, okay, so if it is a person, why are they doing it. First that man in Hogsmeade, what was his name?"

"Kristoffer Parr," Harry answered.

"--Kristoffer Parr. Then the old professor, and now Terry. Why them?"

Harry had spent hours tossing and turning at night with that same question. The word "why?" constantly flooded his thoughts. With the answer to the "why" they might find the "who."

"I'm not sure. But they appear to have been targetted."

Ron's eyes widened, "You reckon?"

"Think about it," Harry nodded. "Hogsmeade, Bristol, and now Liverpool. All on different days, each more close together than the last. Every time, it was just one witch or wizard killed, but no others were harmed. Seems too specific to be random or coincidence."

Ron shook his head in disbelief. They'd dealt with a lot throughout their lives but it never made anything seem less shocking or crazy. No matter how strange things got, they could always get stranger.

"That's bleeding mad! And everybody's expecting you to know the answer so quick when all you're getting is scraps of evidence and possible hunches."

Harry couldn't blame them for wanting answers. In the years since Voldemort's defeat, murder in the wizarding world had become extremely uncommon. There were a few cases throughout the years, all single occurrences and the act of a wizard gone mad. Each was resolved with haste, the culprit locked away. But with three murders in succession, there was reason for people to raise concern. Unfortunately, these were not open and shut cases as the past ones were.

Whoever was responsible was determined not to get caught.

And they knew how to get away with it--that made them dangerous.


	15. A New Team

Rose looked at Albus as if he had jumped up on the table and started dancing or confessed that he was running away to live with the pixies in the Forbidden Forest.

"Excuse me?" Her jaw hung slightly slack as she blinked rapidly as if she wanted to make sure she was actually awake and hearing him correctly.

"I'm going to solve the murders," Albus repeated losing none of his original confidence.

Scorpius remained speechless, his face twisted as if he just swallowed a cockroach--and not the sweet kind from Honeydukes.

"And you plan to do this, how?" Rose wasn't trying to hide her scepticism. She had a habit of being blunt, for better or for worse. 

Albus couldn't blame them, even he thought _he_ sounded a bit mad. But his mind was set on it and his chest filled with an overwhelming feeling of purpose. His heart pounded against his rib cage and he could feel his veins working overtime to pump the rushing blood throughout his body. His fingers tingled as if they wanted to get started right now, grabbing hold of a book or broom to begin finding answers. He could barely stand still, his feet ready to rush into action.

"Well, I haven't worked that part out yet. But I'm sure that I can! Just need to do some research, that's all. That's how our parents did it after all, isn't it?" He tried to rally for her support, knowing that his father, aunt, and uncle spent loads of time researching for their adventures--aunt Hermione especially. Rose had inherited her mother's love for books and research, which Albus planned to appeal to.

"Umm forgive me for doubting your--uh-- _brilliant_ plan," Scorpius finally spoke up with a squeak, tugging at the collar of his shirt, "But aren't we a bit, err, _under-qualified?_ "

Albus shook his head, "No!" He hesitated, thinking of his marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts, "Well, perhaps a little. But that doesn't mean we can't do it. I mean look at our parents! They were already fighting Voldemort in their first year. By our age, our parents had saved the world almost six times."

He'd heard the stories recounted by his family and even in school too many times to count. How his father did _this_ at only eleven years old, or how his aunt mastered _that_ at just thirteen, or how the trio did _such and such_ at sixteen. If they could form an army and protect the entire wizarding world as teenagers, then solving just a few magical murders seemed like child's play.

" _Your_ parents," Scorpius emphasized, his voice growing softer. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his trousers, his gaze falling to his shoelaces.

"I'm sorry?" Albus wasn't following.

Scorpius glances up, his head still bowed, to clarify, " _Your_ parents saved the world. My father...well..." he glanced off to the side, "Let's just say sixteen-year-olds don't often make the best decisions."

Albus' thoughts wandered back to the few stories his father told him and his siblings growing up about the Malfoys. He spoke little about them, but when he did, it was never good. He vaguely recalled his father mentioning that his rival Draco joined the Deatheaters in their sixth year and attempted to kill Dumbledore before Severus Snape did in his place--on Dumbledore's own orders. Albus never liked that story. The thought of one of his namesakes killing the other unsettled him, sending a chill down his spine.

There were many times--actually most times--when Albus hated his name. Not just his famous surname but his given names as well. Despite his father singing praises about Dumbledore and Snape, Albus couldn't help but feel as though they weren't always as great of men as he claimed. To bear their names was a great challenge for a young boy who knew very little about them other than his father's perspective and what was written in the history books.

Albus and Severus were wizards long past by now. Their names might have held great significance to his father but to Albus, they were just a piece of him. An arrangement of letters he scribbled on the top of his school work. A collection of sounds formed to get his attention and address him. More often than not, when he heard the sound of his name being called, it was never anything good--his mother scolding him for his untidy room, his father using his dreaded nickname that only got on his nerves, or his classmates pestering him about his less than stellar performances in school.

For once, Albus longed to hear his name used for good. He longed to be praised rather than scoffed at. He wanted to make his name his own and not just borrowed--to be remembered for his own good deeds, not the acts of someone else that his father once knew. He was never going to live up to Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and especially not Harry Potter. But maybe, just maybe, he could reclaim the name and be proud of it.

Albus Severus Potter.

Not the name of the Slytherin Squib or the forgotten child of Harry Potter.

But a name to be respected and remembered.

"This is our chance to prove them wrong!" Albus' voice flooded with determination. "We aren't just the geeks and failures they see us as. We can do great things too."

"Speak for yourself," Rose piped up, "I'm perfectly content with how I'm seen, thank you very much." She said matter-of-factly, crossing her arms. I was easy for her to say; she was a smart and popular prefect, well-loved by the school and her family. She never had to deal with the same challenges as Albus.

Scorpius nodded, shying back from Albus' crazy idea, "I may be seen as a loser but its better than the reputation my family usually has. We Malfoys aren't really known for being the good guys..." His voice trailed off.

Scorpius had always preferred to stay in the background and out of trouble. Albus remembered in their first few weeks at Hogwarts, how the other students grew uncomfortable when Scorpius would introduce himself as a Malfoy. Like Potter, the name carried a weight with it, but not one that made people excited to get to know him.

As their peers began to realise Scorpius was almost the opposite of the Malfoys that came before him, they no longer feared him and resorted to teasing him for the exact opposite reason as Albus. Albus wasn't good enough but Scorpius wasn't bad enough. Scorpius was bullied for excelling at school and Albus for being untalented at magic. It was as if, no matter how hard or how little they tried, the other students would always find something to pick on them for.

Scorpius wasn't his father just as Albus wasn't his.

Albus pointed a finger at his best friend, "That's just it though! It's our chance to change that. We aren't just clones of our parents. The whole wizarding world expects us to be something we are not. We have to prove that we can do something great too. Show them who we really are."

His friends still looked unconvinced. Albus continued, trying to muster as much enthusiasm and confidence as he could. He believed in his cause, he just needed to get them to believe in it as well.

"Scorpius, you are the kindest and most knowledgeable person I know. But just because you're a Malfoy, they expect you to be some dark and pureblood-obsessed wizard. If we can solve these murders, they won't see you as the descendant of dark wizards. They'll see you for the smart, caring, and amazing person you are--the Scorpius that I see." Albus added the last part with a softer voice, looking at his friend who was always misjudged based on his looks and his name. Albus only saw the good in him, and it was time the rest of the world did too.

Scorpius nodded slowly, his eyes fixated on the floor as he considered everything he had to say. Albus swore he saw a hint of a blush cross his cheeks but he kept his head facing the floor making it harder to tell. Part of Albus wanted to reach out and pull his friend into a tight hug but he fought the urge, instead turning to face his cousin.

"And Rose," She sat stiffly with her arms folded but tilted her head to listen to his offer. "You're the daughter of two of history's greatest heroes--not to mention that one of them is Minister for Magic. Everyone knows you for that. But they don't know Rose Granger-Weasley, the smart and determined Gryffindor who never backs down from a challenge. Don't you want them to remember you for you, and not just who your parents are?" Albus prodded at her, trying to make her give way. He knew that she would be the harder one to convinced, not used to being a follower but taking charge instead.

Rose pursed her lips but didn't challenge him, "Okay I suppose a bit. But what are you trying to prove, Albus? That you can do spectacular things and save the world like your dad? It's not that simple. We can't do what our parents did. That was a different time--A whole different circumstance!"

"I'm _not_ trying to be like my dad," Albus argued, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "I'm trying to fix my reputation." He sighed before adding, "And my family's too."

"Your reputation?" Rose raised an eyebrow. "And how is solving some random murders going to do that?"

Albus tapped his foot trying to think of a way to explain what he meant to her when he got an idea, "Do you still have that copy of The Daily Prophet?"

Rose leaned over to dig through her bag, pulling out a folded pile of newsprint. She handed it to Albus, still not convinced.

Albus opened it laying it out on the table between Scorpius and Rose. They leaned over to see what he was looking at. He scanned over the page, ignoring the photo and article on him and his father to find the one he was searching for.

"There," He pointed to the article on the most recent murder. He skimmed the story, which described Amanda's father and how he was a veteran of the War of Hogwarts. He was found dead in broad daylight, not far from his home in Liverpool.

"A girl's father was killed, just like two other wizards. My dad's department is in charge of solving these sort of things and you know where he was at the time? Here, talking to me. I could be the reason Amanda's father was killed and the murderers are still on the loose. And now there's an article bashing my father for being here and not working. I can't help feeling like I'm to blame. And if my father isn't going to fix it, then I have to."

Rose and Scorpius exchanged glances.

Albus sighed, allowing some vulnerability to show, "And I can't do it alone. Our parents never worked alone. They had each other and Dumbledore's Army. I need you guys."

"I don't know, Albus," Scorpius bit his lip, teetering on the balls of his feet.

"Okay, well think of it this way, even if you say no, I'm going to try no matter what. And you both know how my record is with magic..." Albus warned, hoping to sway them. He knew there was no way he could do it without the help of his friends. He was useless at magic--but Scorpius and Rose weren't.

Scorpius huffed, "I can't believe you're guilting me into this. Fine. I'm in." Scorpius smiled weakly as Albus pumped his fist in triumph.

"Me too." Rose agreed with a firm nod of her head.

Albus looked at her in surprise, he hadn't expected it to work so easily on stubborn Rose, "Wait, really?"

"Well if I can't change your mind then I'm at least going to join you." She shrugged, placing her hands on her hips.

Albus smiled, rubbing his hands together, anxious to get started, "Alright. Sounds like we've got a team"

"Should we have some sort of group handshake?" Scorpius brought up, 'I feel like we should have a team handshake. That's how they always finish team meetings in Quidditch." Scorpius demonstrated by putting his hand in the centre of an invisible circle and throwing it up with mock enthusiasm.

Rose and Albus gave him quizzical looks, speaking over each other at the same time:

"We are not going to do that," Rose shook her head.

"Since when do you watch Quidditch?" Albus questioned.

Scorpius' face flushed as he scratched his head sheepishly, trying to backtrack "Oh well my dad used to take me to matches--I just thought...Nevermind, its was silly."

They decided to ignore Scorpius' comment and move on with their plan.

Rose hopped off the table, clapping her hands together, "So, where do we start?"

"Can we start by going back to our lessons?" Scorpius suggested, a timid note in his voice. "I don't think we'll be able to do much mystery-solving if we are in detention."

Albus wanted to argue, his adrenaline pumping already. Skipping lessons would have been his preferred option. He wanted to get started as soon as possible but by the way Rose and Scorpius looked at him, he knew he wasn't going to get his way this time.

"Okay fine. Meet in the Library at lunch break?" He suggested.

"Sounds good," Rose affirmed with a nod before throwing her bag over her shoulder and making a beeline for the door.

Scorpius lingered back with Albus, who was working out how to fold the newspaper back into a neat square. Struggling in the process, the Prophet ended up creasing in the wrong places and folding in the wrong direction to the point where it looked as if Albus was trying to take up origami.

Scorpius stifled a giggle watching his friend battle with the paper. He stepped in, pulling out his wand to tap it on the crinkled attempt at refolding it. With a little flitch, the newspaper rose up slightly, smoothening itself out before folding back into a crisp square.

"Thanks," Albus muttered, tucking the paper into his potions textbook.

They started walking side by side out to go to their next lesson. The corridors were quiet, most of the students in the classrooms where they were meant to be. Scorpius and Albus spoke in hushed voices, not trying to attract attention to the fact that they were missing their second lessons.

"Thanks for agreeing to help, Scorp. I know it sounds crazy but I think it's worth a try," Albus looked up at his friend admiring Scorpius' sharp profile. He was always thankful to have a good friend like Scorpius by his side. He wouldn't have known how to survive Hogwarts without him. Even with Albus' craziest scheme yet, Scorpius wasn't about to let him down. They stuck together through thick and thin. 

Scorpius stared ahead and nodded thoughtfully, "It's fine. I believe in you."

"You do?"

Scorpius looked at Albus, his eyes glimmering like silver, "Of course I do."

Albus wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't often someone told him that they believed in him or even offered him much encouragement. He was much more used to people just accepting him as a failure and never trying to make a difference. Albus opened his mouth, trying to search for something to say, but luckily Scorpius spoke for him.

"You know, you scare me sometimes Albus," Scorpius stated out of the blue, his lips curling into a half-smile.

Albus furrowed his brow, not sure if he was being serious. Never had he been referred to as scary before, he was so used to being laughed at. He supposed his 5'6 frame wasn't too intimidating, as most people had to look down a bit to speak to him--one of the reasons he'd earned the cruel nickname 'Peewee Potter' from his fellow students. Perhaps the darkness in his eyes could give a timid person a bit of a chill or frighten a small child. But what did Scorpius, who towered over him and could easily overtake him in a duel, have to be scared of?

Scorpius began to explain, "When you set your mind on something, you really mean it. I wouldn't want to mess with your determination."

"Is that a bad thing?"

He shook his head, "No, it's not bad. It's just... _you_. And I like that about you." His eyes flickered over at Albus then back down to the floor.

"Oh, alright then." Albus didn't know how to respond. He'd never really thought of himself as a determined person. He always felt more like the type of person to give up when something got too tough or he felt too uncomfortable, like in lessons or trying to play quidditch with his family. But those were things he wasn't too passionate about in the first place. 

"I know you're not too fond of being placed in Slytherin but--" Scorpius hesitated as if he wasn't sure if he should even finish his statement, "--but I don't think it's the wrong house for you. You're ambitious, Albus. Whether you like it or not."

Albus opened his mouth, wanting to contradict him, but he wasn't able to find a strong enough argument to use. Before he could argue, they paused at the end of the corridor that divided into two directions. Scorpius leaned towards the left, indicating his intention to part ways.

"See you at lunchtime, then?"

Albus confirmed with a nod before Scorpius skittered off. He started walking in the opposite direction, pondering what Scorpius had said. He'd never wanted to be in Slytherin but he never stopped to ask himself if it was where he belonged. To be fair, he never felt he belonged at Hogwarts at all.

Growing up, he had always assumed that he was meant to be in Gryffindor like the rest of his family. When he was separated from them, it felt as if it just further pushed him away, making him the outcast. His resentment of his sorting didn't come from a hatred of the house itself, but of the fact that he felt divided. Not to mention the judgement he faced because of it.

Slytherin had a stigma, a stereotype that followed the people who were placed there. It was known for being the house of bad wizards and witches. His siblings liked to tease him, saying that being in Slytherin would turn him evil. Even The Daily Prophet seemed to imply that being a Slytherin made Albus worse than the rest of his family--as if they needed to keep a close watch on him because of it. But Albus wasn't a bad person. 

Sure, he was a bad wizard in terms of talent, but he had no desire to cause any harm. He resented that Dark Arts as much as any other members of his family. He may not fit in with the Potter-Weasley family but he grew up hearing the gruesome stories of the war and always knew better than to befriend anyone on the dark side. He trusted his judgement enough there. Not that he even had the ability to be a dark wizard--what with his marks and all. But yet everyone still seemed to imply that being sorted into Slytherin was the equivalent to joining the Deatheaters.

And Scorpius...

Scorpius was as far from evil as one could get. Albus didn't believe he had one bad bone in his body. But yet, he was placed in Slytherin all the same. It was easy to assume it was because of his heritage but would the Sorting Hat have put him in Slytherin just for that? He would still have to show some Slytherin qualities but evil was not a way to describe Scorpius.

The pair of them were not typical Slytherins in the eyes of the students at Hogwarts, which was one of the reasons Albus believed he never belonged there. So was the Sorting Hat wrong for placing them there? Or did everyone just have the wrong idea of what a Slytherin student was?

As Albus approached his classroom, he tried his best to shake the thoughts out of his mind. If he kept thinking like that, he'd only end up spiralling to a deep place where he didn't want to be right now. He needed more time for a debate like that.

So he took a deep breath, mustering up some effort before he pushed open the door to his next lesson, ready to face whatever was ahead of him.


	16. Research and Revising

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may notice that I've updated the story summary! I hope that this will draw in some new readers, as the one I had before was pretty long and written before I had a clear plot in mind, so this one fits a bit better. I've never been good at quick snappy summaries, so it took me a while to come up with something that wouldn't give anything too big away and that was the best I got. I'm still not totally pleased so it may change again but it's the same story either way.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

A blank piece of parchment stared back at Albus as he twiddled his quill between his fingers, the fluff of the feather tickling his skin. Earlier in the day, his mind had been racing with ideas; he'd pictured himself solving the murders, his face plastered on the front page of The Daily Prophet in celebration of his amazing feat.

' _ALBUS POTTER CRACKS THE CASE_ ' The headline would read. Below, a photo would picture him shaking hands with the Minister (which was arguably not too exciting seeing how it was his aunt). Witches and wizards would congratulate him on the street. His classmates would realise he wasn't such a squib after all. He couldn't wait to rub it in Matthias' smug face.

But Albus never considered how he'd actually get to that point. Now that he'd sat down to work, his mind was as blank as the paper before him.

The library was quiet, as always--Madame Pince made sure of it. A few students bunkered down at the tables to study on their lunch breaks or scramble to complete assignments that were due next lesson. Towering walls of books loomed over them, the sunlight from the grand windows catching the flecks on dust in the air. The old floorboards creaked as students shuffled around, whispering to their friends or picking out books.

Albus faced Scorpius at a table tucked in the back corner of the library between two bookshelves of magical cookbooks--a section where few students ever looked. Scorpius rested his chin on his palms, elbows against the table as he watched Albus, awaiting further instructions.

"Soooo..." Scorpius drew out the 'o', "Where do we begin?" 

"Umm," Albus scratched the back of his neck, glancing down at the empty page. He didn't want to admit that he had no idea. It was hard enough to convince his friends to get on board, now he didn't want them to realise he had no idea where to steer the ship.

A slam rattled the table, causing Albus to jump and almost knock his pot of ink over. He looked up to see Rose, leaning against a thick leather-bound book that she'd dropped at the end of their table. 

"What's that?" Albus asked, his eyes widening at the book. Loose leaves of yellowing parchment stuck out of the sides, the binding warn and close to tearing. Thick as a brick, it took up almost the entire width of the table with wide square pages. From the side, the pages appeared to be in a gradient, from newer off-white pieces of paper to old browning parchment at the very bottom, as if it had been added on to over many years.

"It's a book," Rose said, obviously. "You do know what the library is for, don't you?"

Albus rolled his eyes, "I'm not _that_ thick."

"With the way you've been staring at that blank parchment, I wasn't too sure," Rose quipped, causing Scorpius to let out a small snicker

"Well, what book is it?" Albus asked, ignoring her comment.

Rose opened up the cover, trying to be as gentle as possible with the fragile pages, "Its a record of all the Hogwarts professors and faculty."

"All of them?" Scorpius' interest piqued, glancing over at the handwritten pages.

"This is just one volume. There's even more dating back centuries that we're not even allowed to touch!"

"Wow," Scorpius' wide eyes glittered in amazement at the amount of history in front of him. He ran his fingers delicately over the spine, where the leather was dry and cracking, the pages barely hanging on.

"So what's it for, then?" Albus asked, just seeing a dusty old record book with sprawled cursive writing.

Rose exchange a look with Scorpius, "Honestly, what would he do if we didn't decide to help him?" She said with a disappointed shake of her head. 

Albus crossed his arms in front of him, "I'm starting to regret my decision," he grumbled, unamused by the banter. He knew his cousin was only kidding but it didn't stop the teasing from getting to him.

Scorpius frowned slightly, giving Albus an apologetic look, before turning back to address both him and Rose, "One of the murder victims--She was a professor here, wasn't she?"

Rose nodded, "Yep, so she's bound to be here. I reckon we can get some information on her to start." She rifled through pages until she reached the one she wanted, "Ah-ha, Septima Vector, professor of Arithmancy, 1982-2016" She pointed down to a profile scribbled out over a page spread.

"So she retired fairly recently," Scorpius stated. He stood up from his chair, walking behind Rose to look over her shoulder. Albus tried to do the same before realising that Rose was the same height as him and he couldn't see past her. He sat back down in a slump, trying to read the intricate handwriting sideways. It didn't do him much good, so he listened while his friends read instead, feeling rather helpless.

"Just before we started at Hogwarts," Rose added. "My mum had her for a professor. Spoke highly of her but said she was rather strict. Have to say, I'm rather glad we didn't have her as a professor from the sound of it."

Scorpius' eyes scanned over the page, "Looks like she took a year off after the war." He pointed to a year where she was noted as absent from Hogwarts. 

"I suppose it must have taken a toll on her," Rose suggested solemnly, "My mum came back to Hogwarts the year after. Always noted how empty everything felt."

"I can imagine," Scorpius frowned before squinting as he read something else in the top corner of the page, " _Location: 54 Webbs Way, Bristol._ " He read out loud, running the address through his brain. "D'you reckon that's where she lived?"

"It must be! She was killed in Bristol, wasn't she?" Rose turned to Albus, "Quick, jot that down, it could be helpful."

Whilst Albus didn't like being bossed around, he did as he was told before chiming in, "I remember my dad said she was killed on her way back from the shops. So it must have been near there." 

His mind started racing with ideas of travelling to the spot where she was to investigate. But the big question was how? They could sneak some brooms from the Quidditch supply closet, but Albus didn't trust himself flying such a long distance on a broom. And surely someone would notice they were missing during the time it would take to get there. They could try Floo powdering to the address except they ran the risk on tumbling through the fireplace of a family who moved in after the Professor's death--which could very well be Muggles. Albus didn't want to cause that much of a disturbance and get the ministry officials on his tail. Portkey? Except he had no idea how to make one. But what other options were there?

Scorpius noticed Albus getting a far off look in his eye and decided to speak up, "Perhaps we should write down everything we already know about the murders before we get too far ahead of ourselves." He seemed to be able to sense that Albus was already too far forward in the plan.

"I can go search for the copies of the Prophet in the archives that reported on them." Before either of them could answer, Rose spun around, rushing off to the other side of the library. 

Scorpius took his seat across from Albus, who waited for him to prompt him to write down more details. 

"Well?" Albus questioned, pen at the ready to write. "Are you going to order me around as well?" There was a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Part of him was thankful Rose had taken charge, as Albus felt a bit clueless as he was out of his element; Researching was never his strong suit. But part of him couldn't help but feel as if he was being treated more like the butt of a joke rather than a team member--not to mention that he was the one who came up with the idea in the first place. But perhaps he was being too prideful--the sting of his siblings calling him selfish still hitting him when it crossed his mind. 

"Of course not," Scorpius shook his head, "In fact, I was going to ask you what to do next."

"You were?" Albus couldn't help but feel a bit surprised, as so far he felt like he had little to contribute. His friends were far smarter and superior to Albus. 

"Well yeah, you know more than me. Your family must have talked about it. All I know is what's been in the papers."

Albus hadn't looked at it that way. Much of the information was current and couldn't be found in books, which was more Scorpius and Rose's speciality. Albus, on the other hand, had a greater knowledge of what had taken place, as his father was the one working the cases. 

He drummed his fingers on the table, thinking back to what he'd overheard at home before he'd left. His parents always seemed to be discussing something work-related. For once, Albus started to wish he hadn't spent so much time alone in his room.

Before he could write anything down, Scorpius shifted awkwardly in his seat, chewing at his lip, "I hope you don't think Rose and I are trying to take over. I-I just get excited about researching, that's all. I'm not trying to make you feel left out or anything." Scorpius glanced at Albus, looking apologetic. 

Whilst Albus had been feeling a little worthless in the trio, he decided to shrug it off, not wanting his friend to feel bad for being enthusiastic about something he loved, "It's alright, really. I just wish there was something more I could do to help, that's all. I don't want to be holding you both back." He admitted.

"You aren't holding us back!" Scorpius protested. "You're the reason we are here, after all. You're the one who got us started." 

Scorpius reached out, placing a reassuring hand over Albus', which rested on the corner on the parchment. Albus' stomach jumped slightly at Scorpius' touch.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Albus. We need you here," Scorpius gave him a soft smile, looking at Albus with compassion radiating in his eyes. 

Albus' lips parted, trying to ignore the weight of Scorpius' hand on his. He hoped Scorpius didn't notice Albus' hand was clammy as he thought it felt. Albus looked from Scorpius' hand and back to his face.

Scorpius seemed to notice Albus suddenly stiffen and he quickly pulled his hand away, as if he'd overstayed his welcome. 

Albus' swallowed, "Thanks," his voice slightly squeaky. He grabbed the quill from the ink with his other hand, "I guess I should start writing."

Scorpius nodded briskly, letting out a soft, somewhat forced, laugh, "Oh yeah, right." His shoulders tensed up as he looked out the window beside them. 

By the time Rose returned, Albus had already noted down almost all that he knew about each of the victims. He organised the information into three columns, listing the facts under a header of the victims' names. 

_Kristoffer Parr: killed in Hogsmeade._

_Septima Vector: killed in Bristol._

_Terry Boot: killed in Liverpool._

Under each name and location were bullet points of everything Albus had either overheard or read about. Where each person was going, how old they were, where they worked, and anything else about the situation that might come in handy. Rose and Scorpius looked over the information, hoping to connect some dots between them. 

"So all three of them were killed near their homes?" Scorpius confirmed with a shutter. 

"Yep," Rose nodded, "And there were no witnesses."

"None that remember anything, at least," Albus chimed in. "My father mentioned that some of the neighbours had shown signs of obliviation."

Rose' brow furrowed in thought, "Someone must be trying real hard not to be seen then. It's got to be the same person committing the murders then, right? It just seems too eerily similar..."

"The Ministry claims they were all separate cases but I think they are just saying that to make people less concerned that there could be a connection between them all. Three similarly murdered wizards in such a short time just can't be a coincidence," Albus agreed with Rose. 

Scorpius' face twisted, unsettled by it all, but let out a small sigh of relief, "At least we know we only have to go after one person and not try to find three completely different people." He tried to look at the positive side--at least as positive as it could get when talking about murder.

"It may be one person but it's one serial killer. That makes them more dangerous," Rose somehow seemed more fired up by the increased risk. 

Scorpius, on the other hand, grew paler. 

"Well..." Albus hesitated to give them the bad news, "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

They looked his way, waiting for him to give more details with anticipation.

"It's just that," He started, "I heard a rumour that it might be a group of people, not just one. Someone told me that Terry Boot might have gotten himself in trouble with some bad wizards. It's possible everyone else could have been involved in some way too which is why they were all found dead around in similar conditions."

Scorpius' eyes widened, "Bad wizards? So like a wizard gang?" 

Albus frowned, "Well it sounds a bit silly when you put it that way, but yes, like a wizard gang." Albus pictured a group of burly men in spiked leather jackets with long hair and beards holding wands, that looked like chopsticks clenched in their meaty fists.

Unlike Scorpius and Albus, Rose didn't look so convinced, "Who told you that?" Her voice filled with scepticism.

"Err, well Magnolia mentioned it to me." 

Rose immediately scrunched her face, recoiling, "And you're going to believe her? The biggest gossip in the school? I doubt half of what comes out of her mouth is ever true!"

"Ah well," Albus' face reddened, having not really thought about her credibility, "I guess I didn't think..."

"When did you guys even talk about this?" Scorpius tilted his head.

"It was in Potions earlier. We started talking about the murders and--" Albus suddenly froze, letting out a gasp.

Practically leaping out of his chair, Scorpius' gripped his wand as his eyes dated in every direction as if the murderer was going to jump out from one of the bookcases. 

"What?" Rose asked sharply, alerted but not frightened.

"Sorry, sorry," Albus shook his head, scrambling to gather his things, "I just remembered something."

Realising they weren't in imminent danger, Scorpius relaxed, the tips of his ears turning bright red. He put his wand away, looking to Albus for an explanation of his sudden rush. 

"Professor Amatori asked me to tutor some fifth years in potions. We are supposed to meet after lunch during my free period." Albus had almost forgotten completely. If he hadn't thought about Magnolia and his discussion in potions that morning, he might have completely let Professor Amatori down--not the impression he wanted to make after being trusted with a responsibility.

Rose's expression went from shocked to impressed, "A professor asked YOU to tutor? Never thought I'd see the day..." 

"Yeah, yeah," Albus rolled his eyes at his cousin's teasing. "We can meet again later, right?"

"Unless you've got other plans," Scorpius seemed to be half-joking but half-unsure. They always spent their free time after lessons together but Albus being preoccupied today seemed to take him by surprise. 

"No, why would I?"

Scorpius shrugged, rubbing his arm, "I dunno..."

"I've got quidditch practice, and Dumbledore knows your brother would kill me if I missed one. We've got our first match coming up," Rose said and Albus didn't doubt her, knowing how serious James took quidditch. "How about tomorrow at lunch, again? I'll just tell my friends I'm revising."

"You're ditching your friends for us?" Albus raised an eyebrow, surprised Rose would choose to spend her free time with them over her group of best friends.

"Well you guys are my friends too," Rose said like it was obvious, "Plus, this is time-sensitive. We've got to work on this if we want to get answers before someone else is killed."

Scorpius gulped at the reality that someone else could get hurt, "Tomorrow at lunch it is then."

"Right," Albus affirmed. "See you then," He gave his friends a wave before running off in the direction of the dungeons.

\---

The ticking clock on the wall seemed to echo throughout the empty potions classroom. Slumping against the table, Albus leaned his face into his hand, watching the minutes pass by. It was already ten past the hour but no fifth years had come to revise yet.

"We'll just wait a few more moments to see if anyone shows," Professor Amatori told him, glancing up at the clock from her desk chair.

Albus nodded but secretly hoped that no one would come to the revision session so he could go back to his friends in the library. As much as he loved potions and wouldn't mind the extra practice, he'd much prefer working on the research with Rose and Scorpius. It was probably the only time Albus had ever enjoyed research in the library.

To occupy the time, he gazed around at the assortment of objects the professor used to decorate the classroom. His eyes fell upon a set of clear crystals dangling from a metal wire in the form of a chandelier if it were made for mice. While there was no natural sunlight in the dungeons, the crystals caught the light from Professor Amatori's desk lamp. Little rainbows danced on the shelf below the crystal hanging as the crystals glinted in the artificial light.

Albus enjoyed the calm of the empty classroom. When there were no students, he could really take in the room and marvel at the oddities that covered every inch of shelf and surface space. There were many jars of all shapes and sizes filled with potion ingredients, some recognizable like cinnamon sticks and peacock feathers; others not so much, the jars being filled with unidentified liquids or multi-coloured powders.

Aside from potion ingredients, there were many little plants and succulents placed around the room, making the dungeon air not so dank and stuffy. Some bloomed bright and colourful flowers while others spouted tendrils that snaked up from the potting soil. The professor must have kept them alive and thriving through magic, as the plants couldn't have seen natural sunlight since she began teaching at Hogwarts.

Professor Amatori also adorned her classroom with an assortment of what she considered to be collectables. The students always enjoyed when she'd go off on tangents about these special objects, telling the stories of how she came to acquire them throughout her travels. She had painted skulls from Mexico (which she never confirmed nor denied if they were real skulls or not), a Russian nesting doll painted with the likenesses of great wizards throughout history (the largest doll of them being the famed Merlin), a traditional mask from Mali that Scorpius refused to look at directly (it gave him the creeps), and a large conch shell from the West Indies that Albus swore he saw move on a few occasions. Most students liked the fact that they didn't need to do any work if the professor was away with the fairies, recounting old memories, but Albus truly appreciated the tales. It made him want to break away from his miserable old life and travel the world to experience everything just as Professor Amatori had. He admired her curiosity and spirit of adventure, wishing he had the same positive outlook on the world.

Caught up in his daydreams of exploring distant lands, Albus almost fell off his stool when the door swung open and a girl rushed in.

"I'm so sorry I'm late!" She announced in a fluster. "I was with my friend Amanda trying to help her and I just lost track of time. I'm so sorry!" She apologized again, speaking in a rushed voice. She tried to straighten out her hair and robes after running to the dungeons.

"Ah, no need to worry," Professor Amatori reassured her. "It was very kind of you to be supporting our dear Amanda, as I'm sure she is in need of a good friend at the moment. We completely understand." She placed a hand over her heart with a saddened look.

The girl let out a sigh of relief, the tension falling from her shoulders before she looked around the room to realize almost no one was there. "Oh, where is everyone? Did I miss the revision session?" Her voice filled with worry on the last sentence.

Professor Amatori stood up from her desk chair, "Ah no, I'm afraid this is it," She said with a flourish to the many empty desks.

"So it's just me?" The girl asked. She was fairly short and curvy, with rounded features and full cheeks that dimpled when she spoke. Her blonde hair and bright blue eyes gave her a sunny appearance that she radiated with pride, despite the circumstances.

"That would be correct. But not to worry, we are early in the year. As the fright from exams draws in closer, more students will come but by that time you'll be far ahead of them. Best to start on revisions as early as possible if you want to get top marks on your O.W.L.s!" The professor assured her, motioning for the girl to take a seat by Albus.

As she took the stool next to Albus, he noticed the glint of a badge pinned on her robe just below her collar bone, reading ' _prefect_ ' in silver against a green background. She gave Albus a friendly smile before placing her own cauldron and potions textbook onto the table.

"Albus," Professor Amatori began to introduce them, "This is Ophelia. Ophelia, this is Albus. He's a sixth year who will be helping tutor you for your exams. He passed with flying colours last year so I'm sure he will be happy to answer any questions you may have, isn't that right Albus?"

"Yes, Miss," He answered with a polite nod.

Although he still wasn't thrilled to have to be tutoring instead of working with his friends, he was thankful it was only with one student, rather than a large group. He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing and he much prefered to work one on one instead of trying to keep the attention of a bunch of rowdy fifth years.

"Great," Professor Amatori clapped her hands together, "I have a few things I need to get done, so I will leave you two to it." She spun on her heel, her long floral detailed robes fluttering behind her as she headed for the door.

Ophelia turned to Albus, "It's nice to meet you! Not that I wasn't aware of who you were before this. But it's good to be formally introduced."

For a moment, Albus was confused as to how Ophelia knew who he was until he quickly remembered that, despite being an outcast, he was still an easily recognized figure due to his family's appearances in the news and books. Albus had seen the golden-haired girl in the Slytherin common room and around the corridors from time to time, but never knew her name before, let alone anything about her.

Before Albus could say anything more, Ophelia launched into an apology, "Again, I'm so sorry I kept you waiting. I told Professor Amatori I'd be here but then there was this whole thing with Amanda..."

Albus leaned forward in his seat, "Amanda, as in Amanda Boot? You're friends with her?"

Ophelia nodded, hanging her head slightly, "I'm sure you heard what happened to her. Poor thing..."

"That must be hard for her." Albus tried to sympathise but his mind drifted to his work with Rose and Scorpius regarding her father.

"I wish I knew the right thing to say," Ophelia frowned. "I can't imagine losing one of my parents. I'm really close with them. Even being away at Hogwarts most of the year is hard for me."

"Wish I could relate," Albus muttered, not really meaning to say it out loud.

There were times he did miss his parents, he supposed, his mum in particular. But for the most part, he couldn't wait to finish at Hogwarts and live on his own. But the idea of actually losing his father or mother--especially in a way as tragic as Amanda had--had never really crossed his mind. After his parents survived so much as children, he almost began to think of them as invincible. He spent so much time trying to distance himself from them, it never occurred to him how he might feel if they were gone forever.

"Are you not close with your family?" Ophelia asked, hesitating slightly. He could tell she was trying not to be nosy but it was hard to resist hearing any sort of gossip about the Potter family--especially straight from the source.

Albus shrugged, not really wanting to start monologuing to the girl, who he'd only just met, "It's complicated."

Ophelia nodded, not wanting to push him to reveal more, "I understand. I've read the articles but I wasn't sure how much of it was true. You know how The Prophet tends to exaggerate some things...I never know what to trust anymore."

Albus knew that there was a lot of truth to the articles about him and his dad but everything always seemed to get bent and twisted to fit the bias of the writer. Lorelei Lacero, in particular, seemed to harbour some judgment against Harry more so than Albus--or perhaps it was because he was still underaged and it would seem wrong to publically denounce a teenager, no matter what his parentage. Either way, it was never the full truth. There was no way an outsider could understand everything that went on in their lives.

"Anyway, I've had enough negativity for one day, what with all the news and rumours about Amanda," Ophelia rubbed her hands together before reaching for her potions' book, "Shall we get revising?"

The hour of revision went by more painlessly than Albus thought. He expected to be working with some delinquent, who couldn't even manage to throw together first-year level potions but Ophelia seemed to have a pretty good grasp on what she was doing. Albus almost wished she had been his potions partner this year, as opposed to Magnolia. Ophelia was much easier to work with and Albus didn't even mind chatting with her as he guided her through the potion and answered her questions.

Of all the people he met and worked with at Hogwarts, she was one of the few who didn't seem to be interested in him only for his family's famous name. In fact, she didn't mention one word about his father or even his mum. Instead, she asked about himself, wanting to get to know Albus for Albus and not just as a Potter.

As they cleaned up after their revision session, she asked him, "So why did you decide to tutor potions?"

Albus bit his lip, "To be fair, I didn't really decide to. Professor Amatori asked me to. I would have said no but she insisted she wanted me to do it."

"I can see why," Ophelia said, rinsing out her cauldron. "You seem to really know what you're doing."

Albus' mouth twitched into a small smile, "Thanks."

"Have you always been interested in the subject?"

Albus had to think back, trying to remember his first year at Hogwarts (a time which is so often wished to forget), "I dunno. I guess I just started to like when I started taking lessons and realised I wasn't actually rubbish."

Potions was the one subject he always looked forward to every year. In his first year, he quickly realised it was the one lesson he never made a huge fool of himself. He didn't mess up any complicated spells, like in Transfiguration; he didn't need to rely on any athletic ability, like in Flying; and he wasn't expected to be as good as his father, like he was in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

In fact, it was the one subject his father complained about the most. From the sounds of it, Potions was something he never excelled in. Albus' mum claimed it was due to their professor, whom Albus had been named after despite his mother seeming to dislike the man. But Albus liked to think it was one thing that he was better at than his dad, which made him even more determined to do well in his lessons.

It also helped that he had Scorpius in his lessons every year. When Scorpius was working with him, Albus always wanted to try harder and do well. Maybe it was to keep up with Scorpius' academic ability, or perhaps part of Albus just wanted to impress his best friend. He couldn't understand why exactly, but being with Scorpius made him want to be better.

"I think Professor Amatori is an excellent teacher," Ophelia said as she finished gathering her supplies and putting them back in her cauldron. "It sounds a bit silly, but she's sort of an inspiration for me. She doesn't sacrifice her personality just to be respected in the academic world and she'd so accomplished in her field."

It was true. Whilst many wizards and potioneers doubted her ability based on her whimsical demeanour and flouncy way of dressing, she always was able to prove herself in her subject. Throughout her childhood, he'd heard his mother and aunt singing her praises, excited when they found out she would be the professor teaching their children. Professor Amatori had a bright personality that she never hid away from judgemental eyes. Instead, she was unapologetically herself, which was something Albus always found admirable.

"I don't find that silly at all." In fact, if it weren't for Professor Amatori, he probably wouldn't love Potions as much as he did. He owed much of his success to her. She always encouraged him and never pressured him to be more like his father. He did well on his own accord and not just because he was the son of Harry Potter.

Albus followed Ophelia out into the corridor, not minding the pleasant conversation.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you in Potions revision? You seem pretty capable of doing well without a tutor," Albus asked out of genuine curiosity.

Ophelia smiled at Albus vague compliment, "I suppose it isn't necessary but I want to do well on my O.W.Ls. I'd be revising for potions anyway, but I like the company of revising with others."

Albus could relate to some degree; doing homework and revisions with Scorpius always seemed to make the dull task a little less boring.

"Isn't it a bit early to be worrying about exams?" The term just started. Albus hadn't started revisions until after Valentines Day last year. Perhaps if he'd started at the same time as Ophelia, he could have gotten better marks...

"I just want to do my best. I need high marks on both my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s for my career and I figure starting early will only benefit me." It was an answer that reminded Albus very much of Rose.

"What career is that?" Albus asked. He expected her to say something along the lines of a healer or a professor due to her compassionate and hardworking nature. It shocked him that she wasn't sorted into Hufflepuff, just in the hour he spent getting to know her. She seemed to exhibit qualities of the house and even reminded him a lot of Professor Amatori, a Hufflepuff herself.

"I want to be an Auror," She answered with confidence and a bright smile that didn't seem to fit the dark job description.

Albus was taken by surprise. He hadn't expected the small girl with such a sunny disposition to want one of the toughest and most dangerous Ministry jobs.

Ophelia must have noticed his reaction, "I know, I know, it sounds crazy." Her smile faltered.

"No, no!" Albus quickly shook his head, trying to backtrack, "I think that's wicked. I just didn't expect you to say that..."

"I get that a lot," She let out a soft hum of a laugh, that expressed some disappointment, "But it's something I've been dreaming of for a long time."

Albus had to admit he was impressed. It was a dangerous job, not to mention a challenge to even be considered for. Even if Albus wanted to be an Auror, there was no way the Ministry would ever even give him a second look after they saw his marks--even as the son of Harry Potter.

"Don't you need, like, four N.E.W.T.s with at least an E?" He asked, knowing he could never achieve something like that.

"Five, actually," Ophelia corrected him. "Which is why I've got to get revising early."

Albus rolled his eyes with a small snort of a laugh, "Unless you're my father..." His father always liked to bring up the fact that he got away without taking his exams or even completing his final year at Hogwarts. It was always in a joking manner and their mum would quickly remind the kids that it wasn't an option for them before scolding their father for mentioning it. She'd insist that it was because of the war and that was the only reason there was an exception before reminding them about how important school was.

Ophelia's eyes widened, "Oh gosh, I hope you don't think I'm saying this just because your father is, _you know..._ " She clutched her books tighter to her chest. It was as if she'd completely forgotten that Albus' father was the department head and in charge of the Auror's until Albus had mentioned him.

"It's fine," He reassured her. He couldn't lie and say the thought hadn't crossed his mind. She was a Slytherin after all and it was a cunning move to try and use him to get on good terms with his father.

"No, no, it's just that," Ophelia started, taking a deep breath, "If I'm going to be an Auror, I want to earn it on my own merit."

It was a respectable answer and she seemed to truly mean it. Albus could see the flicker of determination in her eyes.

They stopped outside the portrait into the Slytherin common room. Ophelia gave the password and the door opened.

She stepped inside the passage, holding the door for Albus, "You coming in?"

Albus shook his head, pointing down the corridor, "I've got a lesson."

Ophelia nodded, "Okay, well it was nice to meet you, Albus. See you next week, then."

She gave him a little wave before shutting the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was originally going to split this into two chapters but I felt like the first part wasn't interesting enough which is why I combined them into one. Hopefully, it doesn't seem like it's all over the place. I figured that since I've had so many chapters taking place on this one day, I'm ready to move on haha!
> 
> Anyways, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment or feel free to follow and message me on tumblr! vias-words.tumblr.com


	17. The Other Brother

The corridors were always packed with students between lessons. Students filtered through, being nudged and bumped around as others tried to weave in and out to get to their next destination. First years scuttled through, trying not to get lost in the sea of robes or trampled by the older students. The elder students paraded in packs through the corridors as if they owned them, many of them claiming to know every twist and turn of the complicated castle (which was highly unlikely without the help of the Mauraders Map, which James kept safe in his possession). 

The chatter blended together into a clamour of voices the carried up into the rafters of the high ceilings. The footsteps of hard-soled school shoes clopped like hooves against the stone floors, creating a rumble of students as if a storm was rolling in through the school. The occasional spark would shoot out from somewhere as a spell was cast, causing a small crack, like lightning. Laughter would rise above the din as friends joked and jostled around with each other.

Prefects would stand watch along with professors, supervising the mass movement of students, stepping in when required. Usually, they were just there to scold preteen boys who were roughhousing or remind the students to hurry along to class and not dawdle. On the off chance of a fight, they'd part their way through the gathering crowd, wand at the ready, to break it up and dish out detentions.

There were many times throughout his years at Hogwarts that this would happen to Albus and Scorpius--although they were never the ones who started it. But more often than not, there were no authority figures around when the bullies came to prey on Albus and Scorpius leaving them to fend for themselves.

"Aye, if it isn't Peewee Potter!" Matthias would exclaim, backed up by the jeering looks of his popular friends. It was a common occurrence when he was targetted in the corridor. "And his little friend, Scorpius, a sorry excuse for a Slytherin, if you ask me." He elbowed Ryker with a laugh.

Normally, Albus would have ignored their pestering, continuing to walk the other way. But on this particular day, back in their fifth year, Albus couldn't just walk past.

Silas stepped forward, grabbing Matthias' shoulder in mock concern, "Watch out, Matthias! His Deatheater parents might come and hex you!" Silas then turned his head to look at Scorpius with a smirk, his voice filling with patronizing venom, "Oh wait...His daddy's too busy crying over his mummy's grave. Lost his two greatest loves, the Dark Lord and his minger of a wife! Boohoo!"

Scorpius froze, the colour draining from his face as Silas' harsh words ripped into his skin.

It was one thing to bully Albus and Scorpius themselves, but to attack Scorpius' parents--his mother especially--that's where Albus drew the line. He whipped out his wand as he turned on his heel to face Silas and his friends.

Albus marched up to Silas, sticking his wand right under his chin, bearing his teeth as he looked up at the boy who had at least four inches on him. But Albus didn't have time to think about how unbalanced the fight was, too distracted by the fire burning in the pit of his stomach. Every curse and hex that he'd ever heard of ran through his mind as he tried to find the best one to use on the cocky bastard.

"Take it back, Silas," Albus hissed, his jaw clenched, "Or I'll--"

"--Or you'll what?" Silas sniggered at Albus' attempt at intimidation, crossing his arms in front of him. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by the threat, which infuriated Albus even more. He held no remorse for what he said

Silas' posse of friends, on the other hand, seemed a bit more cautious, taking a few steps back to avoid the scrap. Ryker and Matthias exchanged a look, appearing to think that their friend might have taken things too far, even by their standards. Among them, watching the standoff was Tristian Gainesley, a rough-looking beater from Gryffindor; and a few of the popular girls in his year, including Magnolia and her best friends Margot Creevy, a Gryffindor, and Georgia Sharpe, a fellow Slytherin. Whilst they all looked unsettled, none of them dared to step in and put a stop it. 

Silas was a thin and lanky kid but no less intimidating. He walked with an air of entitlement, as he came from a wealthy pureblooded family. Although he was considered popular as he hung around students like Magnolia and Matthias, it was hard to find someone who actually thought he was pleasant to be around. His favourite hobby appeared to be talking down to people and acting as if he knew everything about magic. Albus couldn't understand how Silas managed to have any friends at all; there were few redeeming qualities about him

Silas' thin lips curled into a sickening smile, dark eyes glinting like he found it amusing. He stuck his chin out further as if encouraging Albus to do his worst.

"G'on then!" He urged in his harsh Scouse accent, not even bothering to take out his own wand, "What're you gon' do? Jinx me? Hex me? Show me what you've got, Potter."

Albus glanced over Silas' shoulder at his entourage waiting in expectation for someone to make a move. He caught Magnolia's eye, who stared at him intently to see what he'd do.

"Albus, don't," Scorpius' quivering voice spoke out to him, not wanting to escalate the situation further. 

No matter how terrible the insult, he always advocated for peace, not wanting to cause any trouble. Or perhaps he was more worried about Albus' spell backfiring, as that was a likely conclusion that would end up with Albus embarrassing himself and further worsening the teasing.

Albus bit his cheek, stopping a flurry of insults from pouring out of his mouth. With eyes like slits, Albus slowly lowered his wand, starting to turn the other cheek and return to Scorpius' side. He didn't get very far before Silas cackled in triumph.

"Gotta listen to your cry-baby boyfriend, right? Always knew you two were poofs," He sneered. "You can't scare me, Potter. You're rubbish at magic, you Slytherin squi--"

Silas didn't have the chance to finish his sentence before Albus had spun back around, swinging his clenched fist out, slamming into Silas' jaw.

" _Arghph!_ " A grunting noise escaped Silas lips as he stumbled backwards, reaching up to grab his sore face.

One of the girls let out a shrill squeal and Albus heard Scorpius gasp behind him.

Ryker leapt out in Silas' defence, shoving Albus to the floor. He went to grab him to beat him further but Matthias grabbed him by his robes to stop him.

"Let's go," Matthias grunted, dragging Ryker away.

The girls surrounded Silas, ushering him off with Matthias, Ryker and Tristain right behind them.

Silas, still clutching his jaw, turned his head to yell back, "Screw you, ya poofs!" He shouted before wincing in pain, giving Albus some satisfaction.

Scorpius scrambled over to help his friend up, "For Merlin's sake, Albus!" His voice squeaked in the way it always did when his emotions were running high. "Why did you--how did--what was that?!"

Even with his throbbing fist, Albus was still seething with rage, "He can't say that rubbish about you--about your mum! I couldn't let him."

Scorpius bit his lip, knowing Albus was acting out of defence for him, "I know, it's fine, I'm fine!" He spoke quickly, helping Albus to his feet.

"That prick can't get away with it!" Albus balled up his fists again, watching Silas and his friends as the disappeared from view, itching to go run after them and give him another blow.

"Albus Potter, you just punched _Silas Walker_ in the face, I think you showed him plenty!" Scorpius eyes darted around in a frenzy as he tried to process everything that took place.

Albus spat out another expletive that his nan definitely wouldn't have approved of before he allowed Scorpius to lead him off in the other direction.

They continued walking down the corridor in silence, Scorpius head bowed as he clutched his books tight against his chest. Albus took long strides, fists still balled but head held high.

Finally, Scorpius broke the silence, shaking his head in disbelief, "Blimey, Albus, that was impressive!"

Albus often wondered what would have happened in that moment had a professor walked by and saw them. Would they have scolded Silas for what he said or would Albus have been punished harder for taking physical action? It was a disciplinary grey area where a professor might side one way or another depending on who they saw at fault.

Although fights like that were rare, especially ones where Albus won, he was used to being heckled in the corridors between lessons. He'd earned a variety of nicknames and heard them shouted at him on the daily from students of almost every house or year. They seemed to love to have someone they could take out their frustrations on and band together to laugh at.

To avoid confrontation and the teasing as much as possible, Albus prefered to travel the school when there were fewer people around. Usually a few minutes after lessons were scheduled to begin or a little bit before they would get out. It often got him in trouble for being tardy but he prefered it to being harassed.

He chose one of these times, right after lessons were set to begin, to walk briskly from the library to his next class in the greenhouses.

Every lunch period for the last week and a half he'd spent working with Rose and Scorpius in the library. They'd compiled quite the amount of information on the murder scenes, based off news stories in the magazines and papers from across the country. They even checked Muggle papers to see what they had to say about the mysterious people found dead on the street. Many took the claim that they'd died from heart attacks or natural causes. None seemed to suspect Wizardry was at play--and why would they? Muggle papers probably weren't the most reliable source of information on the killings of wizards but Rose insisted they read and take notes on everything, just in case there was some new details to be found.

Other than the general scenes of the crime, which anyone could read about, they'd been trying to dig deeper to find out the who and the why. That was where things were starting to get tricky. Scorpius had managed to scrounge up a fair amount of information on Professor Vector to figure out who she was, but it still didn't give them a good reason for why she was killed.

From the sounds of it, she was an upstanding citizen. She taught for many years and--besides being strict and doling out an abundance of homework--she seemed to be a fair and respected professor, not the type of person someone would hold a grudge against. She'd fought bravely in the war and still returned after her year off to teach again.

Unfortunately for book-worms Rose and Scorpius, there wasn't much more they managed to find out through the library. Everything was too old to help them in an ongoing murder case.

Albus' mind was bogged down by names, facts, and dates all surrounding the professor, almost none of it of use to him. He tried to clear his mind, trying to remember if he did his Herbology homework as he rounded a corner and almost ran smack into someone.

" _Oof!_ " Albus exclaimed, stopping short to avoid slamming into a couple, who were snogging up against a wall, "Do you mind?" He grimaced at the sight, starting to walk around them.

"Sod off," the bloke grumbled in an all too familiar tone as he separated from his girlfriend.

" _Ugh, James?_ " Albus spoke without thinking, immediately wishing that he'd continued on past them and tried to erase the image of his brother snogging a girl from his mind.

He hadn't seen his older brother since the morning almost two weeks ago when he and Lily had confronted him in The Great Hall. Albus wasn't sure if they were still mad at him or not and just wanted to avoid them altogether. But, of course, he never got his way.

"Huh?" James blinked, looking to see who it was that bumped into him, "Oh, Albus!" When he saw who it was, his face filled with relief, brightening up somewhat.

Albus was surprised to see that James looked almost happy to see him, which immediately put him on guard. He took a step back, raising his eyebrow.

"Hey, I didn't realise it was you. This is good actually! I wanted to talk to you." James said, not seeming to mind that his little brother caught him in a precarious position with a girl.

"Um, okay?" Albus paused, teetering anxiously on the balls of his feet, wishing James had caught him at a better time. He was already late enough to Herbology as it was.

"You can be really hard to find, you know that? I keep looking for you in The Great Hall at lunch but you're never there. Do you ever leave your room? It's just like at home." James started before catching Albus' eyes darting between him and the girl who stood beside him.

"Oh, yeah," James said as if he just remembered she was there too, "This is Tabitha, my girlfriend." He introduced her casually.

It was very like James to not put too much pressure on anything. If Albus was anxious and tense, James was the exact opposite, almost too relaxed to a fault. He had a habit of not taking life too seriously, opting to joke around and cause trouble with friends. Yet despite his easygoing attitude, he still managed to focus hard on the things that meant most to him, such as quidditch or his school work.

Tabitha stood tall with her hands on her hips, not too thrilled that Albus had interrupted whatever they had going on against the wall. Albus supposed she was pretty, with a notably symmetrical face, a thin bridged nose, and high cheekbones. Her pink lipstick was somewhat stained around her lips and Albus tried to ignore the fact that James seemed to be wearing some of the rosy colour too. She wore her black hair at her shoulders with a bit of whispy fringe across her forehead.

"Uh, hi," Albus greeted her awkwardly, "I'm Albus. James' brother."

"I know," She said stiffly, crossing her arms in front of her. Judging by the blue detailing on her school jumper, she was the same Ravenclaw girl James had been writing sappy love letters to all summer holiday. Albus assumed he would have found her much more appealing had she not been scowling at him the whole time.

"Great," James said, not sensing the tension, "Now that you've met, I gotta talk to you, Al." He pulled Albus aside.

"Listen," Albus started, not wanting to get into a scrap with his brother right now, "I'm kind of late for Herbology right now so I can't really--"

James rolled his eyes, "It's Neville, Albus. He's not going to expel you for being late to a lesson. Just give me a minute to talk to you."

With a huff, Albus stopped trying to find a way to escape the conversation, "Fine, just get it over with." He crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently

"Geez, Al. Don't look so sour," James raised his hands up in defence. "I'm trying to apologise."

"Huh?" Albus' face twisted in confusion, letting his guard down a little, "Apologise?"

Like any brothers, James and Albus got into many squabbles growing up. As the little brother, he had to deal with a lot of teasing as James found it enjoyable to poke fun and rile up Albus. Usually, their parents would force James to mutter a short 'sorry' that never held much meaning in it and then they'd move on from it. But never had James formally apologised to Albus for something he did.

"Well yeah, we kinda blew up at you last week. It wasn't cool," James admitted.

The word ' _cool_ ' was a very fitting word for James. James and ' _cool_ ' were almost synonymous. He was popular, well-liked amongst students and staff. He was always a star chaser on the Gryffindor quidditch team and now a well-respected captain. He never failed to make people laugh and he radiated charisma that made everyone want to gravitate towards him. He never struggled to make friends or find people to talk to. James was cool, plain and simple.

Albus had never once been described as cool, people preferring to describe him-- if they were putting it nicely--as awkward, peculiar, or independent, which usually meant something more along the lines of stubborn and anti-social. He didn't inherit any of the cool that James and Lily seemed to have an abundance of.

Albus couldn't argue with James, "It definitely wasn't the highlight of my day..." He said with a hint of sarcasm.

"We were just upset. We know how you and dad can be and it just gets on our nerves sometimes, you realise that, right? I know you've got your own issues with dad and Hogwarts, _whatever_ , that's fine. Go ahead and be an angsty teen for all I care. I just want you to know how Lily and I feel sometimes. Especially when dad is the one taking the hit for you in the paper and all that."

Albus didn't respond for a moment, trying to think about his words carefully. It wasn't often that he did that; he was regularly quick to lash out. Maybe if he stopped to think things through more often, he wouldn't have had so many arguments with his father.

But talking to James felt different. Perhaps because he wasn't their father, Albus could relate more to his own brother, after growing up beside him in their parents' shadow. Sure, some parts of him resented the fact that James had inherited all the good parts of both his mum and dad, but that didn't mean he resented his brother.

"Okay...well how do you feel then?" Albus asked, genuinely curious about how his siblings viewed him. He never stopped to consider how all his spats with their father might affect them.

James shrugged, trying to find someplace to start, treading lightly, "I suppose it just seems like it the Albus show all the time. Mum and dad's attention is always on what to do about Albus."

"You think I want that?" Scoffed Albus, knowing he'd rather his parents just mind their own business.

"Well no, you've proven that to us. But it doesn't change the fact that they focus on you and whatever scene you've caused and Lily and I feel like we get pushed to the wayside to make room for _'Albus's Issues'_ " He used air quotes. "Dad came to Hogwarts for you Albus. It was only for you. Don't you think that we would have liked to see dad too? I've been here for almost seven years now and have never gotten more than a letter. And, of course, you don't even appreciate the time and effort he puts in for you because you're too bust being angry at him for some reason that I still don't understand. There always seems to be some drama your stirring up because of this thing with dad. You might think you're getting some sort of--I dunno, revenge?--on dad for whatever you think he's done to you, but it affects the rest of us too."

"Like when you ran away," He continued, his voice calm, not meaning to provoke Albus but get through to him instead, "It might have seemed like a brilliant idea to run off to freak dad out after you guys fought but you didn't just scare dad. All of us were freaked, Al. We were just trying to have a nice family meal before the school year started and you ruined it for all of us with your little stunt. Mum was worried sick. Lils, Rose, and I all thought something might have happened to you. And with all the murders going on, dad and Hermione started jumping to conclusions which just made everything worse."

It had never really occurred to him that the rest of his family had been disturbed by his disappearance. Albus just assumed they had gone on without him or completely forgotten about him. No one seemed to chase after him until the morning on the platform, where his dad yelled at him before he boarded the train off to Hogwarts. He hadn't gotten to see his mum, or aunt and uncle to assure them that he was fine. All this time, he assumed that no one really cared about him or what he was going through. The attention always seemed negative to Albus and he didn't realise that his siblings might feel as if they were being pushed aside in order to focus on whatever he'd done, instead. 

Albus started to feel like he swallowed a stone that was now sitting painfully in the bottom of his stomach. The thought of his mother being petrified about him going missing whilst he was having a grand old time with the Malfoys made him feel a bit sick. He never meant to hurt them like that.

"And listen, I'm not trying to blame you. I don't think you meant to scare us all like that, I just don't think you thought much about it at all." Albus avoided James' eye as he continued. "I'm worried about you, Al. You've obviously got some crap going on in your head that's been getting you down all these years. I don't want that to escalate even more to where totally despise us all or something. You're going to be leaving Hogwarts soon and I'm worried that once these two years are over, I'm never going to see you again."

Albus swallowed, trying to digest everything, finally finding some courage to speak, "What do you mean, never see me again? Like I'd--" He cut himself off.

James sighed, "I dunno, Al. You seem pretty keen on running away. Like you'd rather be a part of the Malfoy family than ours. You may be a nudge and a bit of a nuisance but you're still my little brother. And--" James started to add with a little bit of an awkward struggle, "And--I love you..." He scratched the back of his neck, not used to sounding so soft and vulnerable with his little brother.

Caught with his mouth open, Albus struggled to find the right words to say. He still was trying to process everything his brother had told him, his head spinning with all of the information.

James' seriousness didn't last long as he cracked one of his signature grins, "I know you're shocked that I just professed my love for you but you gotta say something. Don't leave a guy hanging!"

Albus tried to shake off the shock that was settling over him, "S-sorry, I just don't know what to say to all that."

James shrugged, "Well you could say you love me back, or give me a hug, or tell me how marvellous you've always found me and apologise for every wrongdoing you've ever done out of jealousy." He chuckled before adding, "That last one was a joke, by the way. In case you didn't get it."

Albus rolled his eyes, lips cracking a hint of a smile, "Yeah, I got it. I do have a sense of humour, despite what you might think."

James feigned a gasp, putting a hand over his heart, "What? Albus Potter knows how to laugh? I'm shocked. I don't believe it."

" _Har-har,_ " Albus' voice laced with playful sarcasm, "You're so clever."

James beamed and before he could protest, James pulled him into a smuggling hug, "Come here, Alby," He cooed, ruffling Albus' hair with his knuckles.

"Oh, piss off, you git," Albus struggled with a laugh. It had been many years since James and Albus had horsed around playfully. Normally, if James tried to so much as touch him, Albus would snap at him.

"Not until you tell me how much you love me," James teased, squeezing him tighter.

"You're suffocating me!"

"Suffocating you with LOVE!"

"Fine, fine," Albus caved, "Iloveyou," he muttered.

"What was that?" James teased, cupping a hand to his ear, still holding onto Albus with his other arm.

"I said, _I love you,_ " Albus said louder, satisfying James.

He released Albus with a smirk, "Now was that so hard?"

" _Yes!_ " Albus grinned.

Their brotherly love was finally interrupted by a soft, " _Ah-hem_ " from the other side of the corridor.

Tabitha tapped her foot while she waited for them to finish their moment, "C'mon, James. We're supposed to be in Charms."

"Wait," Albus blinked at his brother, taking a step back, "You're supposed to be in lesson right now?" Whilst it didn't surprise him that his older brother would be snogging a bird in the corridors, it did surprise him that he'd be missing a lesson for it.

"Yeah, and so are you, so we both ought to get going before mum gets word sends us a howler," James took Tabitha's hand, using his other to wave goodbye to Albus, "See you around."

Albus was left alone in the corridor. He debated going to his lesson at, all not wanting to draw everyone's attention by waltzing in a quarter of the way through.

He stared out the window at the sprawling Hogwarts grounds, the grass now flecked with fallen autumn leaves, blown over from the Forbidden Forest. Soon enough, the trees would be bare, making the Forest look even creepier, as the dark branches snaked up into the sky, spotted with spikes of green where the pine trees towered.

As his eyes scanned along the treeline of the forest, they fell upon a stream of smoke coming from the chimney of a little stone hut at the edge of the grounds where a familiar bearded man resided.

The sight of the hut sparked an idea in Albus' head. He turned and started walking in the opposite direction than in Herbology class.

It was time to pay a visit to an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looking back at it, I'm wondering if I should have put the flashback with Silas in italics to make it more clear it's in the past but I hate big chunks of italic text so hopefully, it's fine...
> 
> Anyways, I love James sm. I would love him to be in the story more but, at the moment, he just isn't that prominant in Albus' life. But there should be more of him in the future as things progress.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment if you want, I love reading them and hearing your thoughts! This story passed 4000 hits the other day which may not seem like a lot on the grand scheme of things but it makes me happy because I do love this story! It's my longest fic to date and it's not even finished. Stay tuned for more ;)


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